


The World Always Needs Saving

by PrincessAmericaChavez



Category: Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: America Chavez & The Young Avengers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Depression, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Genderfluid Loki, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multiverse, PTSD, Post vol.2, Team Bonding, america chavez centric, america needs a hug, death mention, male and female pronouns for Loki, world saving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-01-05 06:10:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessAmericaChavez/pseuds/PrincessAmericaChavez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when the After Party is over? When the world's no longer in peril and the Young Avengers can go their separate ways with no spell binding them? Where's home? Who are your friends and who were only allies? But more importantly —who's gonna save the Multiverse this time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Set Up

**Author's Note:**

> This is my continuation for Young Avengers Vol. 2, because I of course couldn't just sit still and accept this story to be over. This is a story about the whole team but I apologize in advance for America Chavez centric-ness because I do really love her and want her character further explored.

Kate Bishop's had an awful day. For starters, she had to spend hours with her dad in a stupid brunch, surrounded by empty smiles and fake compliments —that she did deserve since she looked fabulous, but were so half-hearted they only left a bitter taste in her mouth. Still, that's not the worse part. The parties at least give her something to keep her mind busy (even if it's just to inwardly complain about them), but the rest of the days are simply  _boring_.

After running around the Multiverse with her friends for months, life back at New York has turned into a drag. It doesn't help that she can't see Clint. She misses him as hell —his idiotic coments and trick arows and dangerous missions— but she's to proud to admit it. She's still furious at him, and even then she knows he would've made this day better. _  
_

She drops on her bed, bouncing over the purple bed sheets and lets out a heavy sight. It's barely 6 o'clock and she's already ran out of ideas of what to do. She could call Tommy, maybe ask him to hang out. He said he'd be traveling for a couple weeks, recovering the time lost while he'd been gone, but she knows if she calls him he can be here in half an hour, wherever he is. She glances at her night table and bites her lips trying to decide. _  
_

That's when her phone vibrates.

She looks at it wide-eyed, wondering if it could possibly be Tommy being called by her thoughts.  _Oh grow up,_ she scolds herself as she reaches for it. It's a text message. She looks at it for about a minute without knowing what to make of it when her phone starts ringing with Billy's ring tone. She almost drops the cellphone out of surprise.

"Kate?" Billy says as soon as she answers.

"You did just call my cellphone," she snorts, still a bit shaken.

"Did... did you just get a text message?"

She blinks in surprise.

"Uh-huh. Did you?"

"Yes. So did Teddy. He's texting David, Tommy and Noh as we speak."

Kate frowns.

"Do you think...?"

"I don't know, Billy. I'm as surprised as you are," she admits but there's something else boiling inside her.  _Excitement._ This should be bad news, but it's actually making adrenaline pump through her veins again.

She hears Teddy's voice from affar and Billy's muffled response, as if he was covering the speaker with his palm. She knows what he's gonna say even before hearing it.

"They got it too," Billy says and she can hear he's just as nervous and excited as she is. Maybe they'll never outgrow the excitement of superheroing. "So, have you heard anything of her?"

"Last I knew, she was off-world. Superhero stuff."

"How do you know?"

"How do you think?" she snorts. "She asked me to keep an eye on you for a while, call her if anything happened."

She hears Billy sight with furstration.

"I'm not a baby, you know?"

"You tell her that."

"Uh... I think I'll pass, thank you."

Kate laughs.

"So... now what?"

"We do as it says, of course," Kate says with decision. "We're not backing out in a friend, are we?"

"Of course not," Billy says and she can  _hear_ him smiling. "Teddy's in too."

"Of course he is," she grins. "See you there, then?"

"Yeah. See you later."

As soon as they hang up, she looks at the text message again with a smirk. An idea suddenly hits her and she sends a quick text message before standing up. She walks to her closet and pulls out her bow and quiver feeling her heart rise. She  _does_ love being a superhero.

* * *

America is, as usual, kicking ass when she gets the text.

More especifically she's kicking a gigantic ass. This is no threat to the Multiverse in the way Mother was, just a local threat. A rock giant the size of a mountain attacking a victorian-era city just for kicks. Thousands of lives in danger and no superheros around in the dimension. This a a job for her. She's midway through an upper cut punch when she feels her phone vibrate in her back pocket. 

She takes a moment to check the screen. It's from Kate. She frowns lightly. She told her to look after Billy and call if there was trouble. 

The distraction earns her a gigant rocky punch that sends her flying against a pile of rubble from a building the monster had already brought down when she arrived. She puts the phone away and spits out rocks and dust.  _Okay, enough fun,_ she decides standing back up.  _Time to end this._

The tattoos in her wrists shine as she flies towards the creature's chest, fists extended before her and bracing for impact. She flights right through it.

A minute later, she sits over the rubble that used to be the giant and checks her phone. 

 

> _From Princess: Emergency. Meet you in Central Park at midnight._

_  
_She looks at her phone's watch. Kate used to laugh at her cellphone all the time, calling it prehistoric, but America's very attached to it ever since her Teen Brigade days. Prehistoric or not, it somehow manages to have signal in several dimensions. The time is set to Earth 616's New York time. Midnight's in half an hour. _Great._ She sights standing up and climbs down from the rocks, not really in the mood for flying. Better save strenght for the star portal, and whatever they'll be facing now. 

"Miss," someone calls her. 

She turns around to find what seems to be a rather wealthy couple. Probably nobility. They look at her with a mix of fear and admiration she's grown used to, but not comfortable with.

"Sorry for the mess," she says looking back at the rests of the monster, "but the giant shouldn't be bothering you anymore."

"Thank you, My Lady," the man says with a small head inclination. "How could we ever pay you back for your kindness?"

"No need to," she assures them, hoping this doesn't take much longer.

"You are too noble of heart, My Lady," the man says and then seems to hesitate before adding. "We hate to abuse of your kindness, but there's another trouble you could pherhaps asist us with."

"What is it?" she asks quirking an eyebrow. 

_God, don't let it be another giant. I don't have time for this._

"Holes, My Lady," the woman speaks up for the first time. "There are terrible holes everywhere."

America sights.

"Sorry, that's not my area," she tells them pursing her lips. "But I'll be sure to keep an eye out in case you guys get another monster menace."

They look at her and it pains her how brokenhearted they look, but  _what the hell_ is she supposed to do about holes? They've got to have people able to fix that. She flies away without another word, not wanting to open a portal infront of them to avoid shocking them even more. Once she's a couple of miles way, she stops and focuses on feeling the multiverse around her. She feels the dimensions vibrating with life, every single Earth and reality wating behind a glass window. Finding Earth 616 is easy by now. She stomps on reality and next thing she knows she's standing in the middle of Central Park.

"America?" she hears a familiar voice behind her.

She turns around and gives a small friendly smile to Kate.

"Hey, Kate. What's up?"

"You tell me," she replies looking at her. "Are you alright?"

America simply quirks an eyebrow, surprised by the way the girl's looking at her. She looks down and realizes her clothes are tattered and covered in white dust. As soon as she looks down, more dust falls from her curls.

"Oh, this," she says calmly before shaking her hair and her clothes with her hands, trying to get rid of the layer of dust. "You'd look like this too if you'd just fought a mountain, Princess."

"A mountain?!" The look she gives at her is rather priceless, but before America can point out how ridiculous she's being, someone else calls for them.

"Hey, America!" she turns around surprised to see Billy and Teddy walking to them. An invisible weight seems to be lifted from her shoulders as soon as she sees they're both alright. 

"Good to see you Ka—"

"Are you alright?" Teddy cuts her off, which is so unusual it makes her halt.

"Me? Yeah, fine. I was just telling—"

A sudden dash of green approaching them makes her turn, muscles tense and fists ready to fight. Green's not a color she's a big fan of. However, the dash stops about a feet away from them revealing David and Billy's brother, Tommy. 

"We... are never... doing that... again..." David says breathing shakily as Tommy sets him down on the floor.

"Stop whining! You loved it!" he replies with a smirk before turning to the archer. "Hey, babe. Got your message," he says walking to her and kissing her cheek. 

 _So Kate texted everyone,_ America comprehends. This looks more and more like a team emergency meeting, which rises the question, why would they call her? It's not like she was an official full-time member of the Young Avengers.  _This better be important._

"So..." she's about to ask Kate exactly what's going on when another familiar sound makes her turn her eyes to the sky. 

Noh-Varr's spaceship lands neatly before them. America glances at Kate and sees her grimmace.  _Alright, it has to be important if she even called Noh,_ she admits to herself. Then Kate catches her eye and gives her a glare, as if her ex's pressence there was America's fault.

"I recieved your texted message," Noh-Varr anounces walking to the group. 

America gives Noh-Varr a silent nod which he responds in the same mutual-silent-respect way they are used to treating each other with. David shakes hands with him with a smile. Billy and Teddy do so too, but seem hesitant to look too happy to see him. Neither Tommy nor Kate give him a single word.

"Alright," Kate says sounding rather irritated. "So we are all here. What's going on?"

It takes a moment for America to realize everyone's staring at her. She blinks once in surprise before turning to her defensive expression and quirking an eyebrow in a silent question. 

"Why did you call us, America?" Teddy's the next one to talk.

" _Me?_ I didn't call you. I got a message from Kate like half an hour ago."

"No way," Kate frowns at her. "We all got a text message from _you_ this afternoon, saying there was trouble and to meet you here at midnight."

"Not me," Tommy smiles. "Kate texted me to come."

Now's Noh-Varr's turn to look uncomfortable, but America has no time to pay attention to it. Her mind's trying to connect the dots as fast as she can. Midway through a thought her eyes meet David's and she knows he figured out faster.

"It's a trap," he frowns.

The reaction is immediate. America clenches her fists, Kate perpares an arrow, Billy's hands shine, Teddy changes to his hulkling form and Noh-Varr's guns form in his hands. In a moment, they're all standing in a perfect battle formation, practiced time and time again when they were traveling across the multiverse. The only one who seems lost in the sudden action is Tommy, who looks around at the park and them obviously not knowing just  _what_ to do.

Barely two seconds have gone by since David spoke. Then, there's another voice behind them, and this one sends a shiver down everyone's back. For America, that shiver's also mixed with fury.

"Well, of course it's a trap. How else was I going to get you all together?"

 

 


	2. Plot Holes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Believe you? Maybe. Trust you? Never."

America swiftly shifts forwards, to stand in front of the team with her fists ready to fight, and glares at Loki. He's sitting calmly over Noh-Varr's spaceship, smirking at them mischievously, delighted that his plan worked out.  _How dare he come back now, after two months being gone? How dare he lie to get us together again? How dare he sit there, smiling as if he'd already won?_

Alright, so they were never friends. Never even liked each other at all. He'd get on her nerves and she'd push him around, inwardly knowing he was up to no good. Yet she'd eventually trusted him. After endless missions across the Multiverse, trying their best to stay alive and keep everyone —specially Billy— safe, she'd ended up accepting he was on their side. As much as she didn't understand his motives, she knew they had each other's back. There were secrets known only to them both and a silent cooperation to save the world while keeping their business to their selves.

And then, just after taking a shot to save his ass, he comes clean in the middle of a fight. He'd been playing them all along. Playing  _her_ who had been set not to let him fool her. At the end, she'd more furious than she allowed anyone to know. She feels personally betrayed by him... and mad at herself for falling in his stupid little game. It was all his plan from the beginning and she hates having been used. She'll not allow it to happen ever again.

He jumps off the spaceship and before he can even begin approaching them America flies towards him.

"No wait!" he pleads as she grabs him by the fur coat. "Listen to me."

"You've lost that privilege," she grunts pulling her fist back, ready to break his face.

"America, wait!" it's Billy who calls her to a halt. Had it been anyone else, she wouldn't have even blinked, but it's Billy, and there's always something inside her pulling her to listen to him, even when she knows he's not always right.

"Yeah. Lets listen what he has to say," Kate offers. "And then you can hit him."

"Hey!" Loki glances at her looking offended before looking back at America's fist. 

She doesn't let go.

"America..." Billy insists, almost pleading. 

She puts her hand down.

"Good, good, America," Loki smirks at her. "Listen to Kaplan."

She glares and shoves him back with a grunt, making him trip and fall on his ass. America stands above him, arms crossed and ready to kick his ass. It's and oddly familiar scene. The silence between them stretches as they glare to each other.

"What do you want, Loki?" Kate's the first one to speak after the tension escalates too much for anyones liking.

"I merely wish to speak to you. No tricks, I promise," he says standing up.

"And your way of showing that is lying to get us here?" David points out arching an eyebrow.

"Would you have come otherwise?" Loki shrugs with a laugh, though his face looks grim.

"No," Billy answers, "and with good reasons."

"I know, I know. I lied to you before, manipulated you, tricked you. It's what I do, remember?"

For all answers, he gets glared at by every single member of the team.

"Okay, sorry. That came out wrong," he says quickly putting his palms up. "I swear, I've just came here to warn you."

"Let me guess, about another threat to the world," Teddy arches an eyebrow unimpressed.

"Yes, indeed," Loki snorts. "A big threat like none you've ever faced and/or heard of before."

"Been there, done that," America crosses her arms.

"You don't understand..."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure the Avengers can handle it," Billy says

"I tried to tell them too," Loki said running his fingers through his hair. "They wouldn't listen."

"And what makes you think we will?" David asks.

Loki looks at them, as if doubting what to say next. He finally sights.

"Because, despite what you may think, I consider you my friends and I know you are a capable team. This threat is one not to be taken lightly. Believe me, I could've just stayed away and be safe from your judgement, but I am here given the magnitude of the emergency. Would you please just listen to me?"

America doesn't turn around, but she can hear the team shift behind her.  _They're considering it._ She can't believe it.

"No," she declares before anyone else gets the chance to speak. 

"No?"

"No," she repeats turning around to walk away from Loki. "You're not worth my time. I have better things to do than stay here and listen to your lies."

"Am..." Kate mumbles softly but she ignores her.

"But the world's in danger," Loki calls after her and she begins to wonder what the hell does he care if she comes or goes. He should probably  _want_ her to leave. Less eyes on him.

"It always is," she grunts walking away.

"No, you don't understand!" he almost pleads before lowering his voice. "The _whole_ Multiverse, is peril," she keeps walking. "Realities are shaking, magic's acting up. America, there are holes in existence."

She freezes. She only realizes she's visibly shaken when she sees the way the rest of the team are looking at her. 

"America?" Noh-Varr's talks for the first time with a deep frown. She ignores him.

" _What_ did you just say?" she asks turning around to look at the godling.

"There are holes in existence," he repeats grimly.

"Chico, I swear if you're lying to me I'll kill you," she says walking towards him.

"I know, I know," he puts his hands up again.

"No. You don't.  _Talk_."

"It started a few weeks ago," he quickly starts after a deep breath that lets her know he's about to go on one of his long speeches. "I had just gotten back to Asgard when I found one in the Palace. I did not know what it was, but I could feel reality breaking around it, being  _sucked_ into it like blood by a leach. I immediately went to The All Mother but, Alas!, by the time we arrived, the hole was gone. I think she did believe me, though. She was probably the only one. Then, a few weeks back, I was on another dimension in a... erm...  _mission_ from Asgard when I saw two more holes, this time bigger and more dangerous. I tried to talk to my brother and his merry band of costumed idiots, but they wouldn't listen. It was when I encountered them for the third time, this time in Midgard, that I called for your help. The ones I found here were even worse. This is Earth-Earth, after all. Whatever's happening seems to be converging in this reality. I do not know what it is, yet, but it is bad. Can't you feel it, Mater Kaplan?"

"I... I've been trying not to push my magic lately," Billy frowns. "I'm not ready to pull a Demiurge number again, Loki. I can't just turn it on whenever I want to feel time and space around me."

Loki turns his eyes to America next and frowns. She closes her eyes for a second and focuses. She can feel realities around her, taking an almost material form like walls of glass. An then... there it is, like piercing wounds in the skin of reality, holes that lead no where. The small realities are shaking already while the one they're in seems on the verge of being teared apart. She's only felt something like this once before.

She openes her eyes and immediately turns to look at Billy grimly. He looks at her worriedly for a moment before his face goes serious, like combat ready. She's silently proud of how much he's grown up... and still he's not ready. He honestly has no idea what this means. She turns back to Loki.

"So you got us all here. You warned us. Now what?"

"Now, we wait," he shrugs. "I wanted you to be warned, so you would come when I call you. I don't know when this will happen again or how to stop it, but we have to be ready. When it does blows up, I need you to trust me."

"That's not going to happen."

"What?"

"Believe you? Maybe. Trust you? Never," she says squinting her eyes at him.

"Alright. Fair enough."

"So now we just _wait?"_ David asks crossing his arms over his chest.

"Until we do not know what the menace is, we can not face it," Loki says. 

"Fine... so we keep an eye out for...  _holes_?" Billy asks.

"Yes," Loki and America answer at the same time. They glare at each other immediately.

"Uh, alright," Kate says arching an eyebrow at them. "And what could happen if we can't get the situation under control?"

"It's impossible to know," Loki shrugs.

"We all die."

"How do you—"

"Doesn't matter," she cuts Teddy off.

There's silence for about two seconds in which she's inwardly relieved that she got them to drop the subject. And, then...

"Wait a minute," Tommy blurts out. "So that's it? You say it doesn't matter and we don't make any more questions? You obviously know more about this than you're telling us," he says pointing at America. "Is it always like this?" He turns asking to the rest of his friends. "They know about the problem but simply won't tell the rest of you? And you just accept that? No way. If there's a big threat to the universe we're gonna be facing, I wanna know exactly what's going on."

America glares at him, clenching her fists.  _He's Billy's brother. He's Billy's brother. He's Billy's brother,_ she reminds herself. God, she wants to punch him. She's not used to dealing with him.

"You'll have to trust me," she mutters clenching her jaw.

"And why should we?" he asks defiantly.

_Because I spent weeks jumping across the Multiverse looking for you, you little shit._

Her glare deepens as she crosses her arms.

"Why should we trust you, if you don't trust us?" he insists.

Her frown softens as she looks past him, at the rest of the team. Billy, Kate, Teddy, David, Noh-Varr... they  _know_ her and deep down she knows they might feel the same way but there  _is_ a reason why they are not asking this questions. A reason that, she hopes, goes beyond fear of being punched.

"Because I've never given you a reason not to," she deadpans.

They all stare at her. Tommy's face doesn't change but she can see everyone else shift awkwardly. They know it's true.

"Alright. So what do we do?" Billy finally asks looking at her.

For a moment, she freaks out behind the mask. Why are they looking at her? Why do they expect her to know what to do? She doesn't know.  _Let's pretend_.

"We stay ready. In contact. Keep our eyes open and are ready whenever it happens again."

"Well, most of us live in New York, so that shouldn't be a problem," Teddy shrugs. 

All eyes dart between Noh, America and Loki.

"I'm working to repair my station," Noh-Varr says calmly. "I will be in orbit."

America won't say it, but she's silently thankful to know Noh's not planning on leaving Earth soon. She's still kinda mad with him about how things ended with Kate, but it's not really her business. She likes Noh. He's a good teammate and doesn't feel the need to talk all the time to break awkwardness. He feels  _steady,_ much like her. 

"I have some  _Asgardian business_ that require me to stay in Midgard for now," Loki's next to talk calmly with that smug way of shrugging that irritates her so much. "So I'll be able to keep guard and/or come if I am needed."

America rolls her eyes because they wouldn't need him. Shouldn't need him. But he's the only one who seems to have any idea of what's going on... other than her. Why do they always end up like this? 

All eyes on her.

"I'll be around," she shrugs. "You call me. I'll come."

That's all she can promise. Staying stuck in 616's New York is something she'd rather avoid. 

Everyone nods in agreement and after a few more minutes they begin dissipating. Noh-Varr's quick to get back into his ship and make a quick get-away. Can't blame him. If looks could kill, he'd been murdered by Kate several minutes ago. Billy and Teddy walk away hand in hand. Kate grabs Tommy's hand and they leave along with David talking about going out for a movie. Loki and America, as if in a silent agreement, stay until everyone else's gone. They can still see their shapes in the distance when she talks. 

"Why my number?" she asks without looking away from them.

"I told you," Loki sights as if he was talking to a child. "They wouldn't have come otherwise."

"You know that's not what I meant," she frowns lightly, still without turning. "Why _my_ number?"

It's a simple question but it feels incredibly important. Why her? She's barely a member of the team. Just the muscle. The 'Guardian Angel' when they get in trouble. She's not the kind of friend everyone rushes to help, because she doesn't  _need_ any help. It worries her that, like everything Loki does, he chose her number for ulterior motives. Does he know what this means to her? He seems to, for the grim tone in his voice when talking to her. How much does he know about her secret? That's been the question all along. She knows he knows, just not at what extent. 

"You were the obvious choice, Chavez."

"That's stupid," she states matter-of-factly. "Why did you think they would come?"

"Well," he side glances at her with a smirk. "They  _did_ come, didn't they?"

He walks away befor she can answer and disappear a few steps away in a flash of green. She wants to kick him for being a smart-ass. For that smug smirk and for the way he treats her as if she was an oblivious little girl. _And he totally just walked away for the dramatic value just to disappear once his little 'walking away' moment was gone. Ugh._

Then another idea forms in her head and it takes the annoyance to replace it with worry. She was just used to set up a trap for her team. And they all fell right into it.

And then another idea pops into her mind and makes her forget about that first worry.

There are holes in existence. Again. And she's got the gut feeling that history's about to repeat itself.

 

 

 


	3. Avengers Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We never had the choice of growing up. One day you just wake up and realize you are an adult. The real question is what you choose to do with it.

Of course there is an alien invasion in New York just three weeks after their meeting. With their luck, Teddy's slightly surprised it didn't happen earlier.

"Chitauri," David's the first one to assess the crisis.

Kate's already shooting arrows to the aliens when Noh's ship shows up in the sky.

Everyone's fighting their way to them. Billy tries to keep the closest aliens in line with defensive spells when Tommy arrives sweeping in and getting rid of a whole line of attackers.

"Feels like the old times," he comments with a smile appearing between Teddy and Kate.

"Too much," Billy comments grimly.

Teddy shoots him a worried look but before he can talk they hear the creatures screaming from afar. They see beaten up chitauries flying through the air as America makes her way towards them.

"Good to see you, Am," he smiles at her as he punches away another creature.

She nods hello and kicks three more away.

"Everyone alright?" She asks looking around.

"So far, so good," Kate assures her. "But we need a plan, fast."

"We just gotta hold on until the Avengers arrive," Billy says as he creates a shield around them, allowing them to recover and talk.  
America rolls her eyes at him.

"The Avengers are gone," Loki says. Until then, nobody had realized he'd appeared inside Billy's shield.

"What?!" Kate and Billy ask going pale.

Teddy knows what they're thinking. _Clint and Wanda._

"That came out wrong, sorry," Loki says quickly putting his hands up. "What I meant to say is that they are not coming. They are off-world."

"What?" Kate asks again. She sounds offended. "I can't believe Clint didn't-"

"We'll talk about that later," America cuts her off. "We need to take care of this."

"Right," Kate nods, a small frown appears in her face as she thinks. "Okay," she claps her hands, "contention. We need to keep the invasion from spreading. America, Noh, we need you in the air. Take down as many of those flying vehicles as you can."

"You got it, Princess," America says with a smirk before flying away.

Noh nods, gets into his ship and leaves without a word.

"Tommy," she turns to the speedster next, "we need you to evacuate as many people as you can."

"On it," he says quickly before dashing away.

"Billy, Loki and David, take care of things down here. We need them to focus their fire in this area instead of spreading."

Billy nods putting on his hood and rising off the ground with his hands glowing. David charges his weapons and runs against the aliens. Teddy can hear him muttering whatever facts he knows about their weaknesses as he jumps into action.

Loki simply disappears.

"Teddy," Kate turns to him. "I need you to take me to higher grown and cover me as I shoot."

He nods, hugs Kate by the waist and flies up. They settle on one of the highest buildings, where Teddy starts fighting the closest aliens while Kate shoots them out of the sky and watches the teams backs.

"Nice Avenger moment back there," Teddy comments between punches. "You're totally our Captain America."

"Oh, Clint will be broken hearted," she laughs pulling back her bow. "I thought that'd be America."

"No, it's totally you," he smirks.

"Then she's The Hulk."

"Wait," he says punching another alien in the face, "what does that make me?"

"Thor?"

"Don't let Billy hear you."

"Oh, he's totally our Scarlet Witch. And David's Black Widow."

Teddy laughs so hard he's almost knocked out of the sky by a flying vehicle.

_Better focus._

The battle goes on for what looks like hours. From their position, Teddy can see Loki creating several illusions of himself and fighting with his daggers. David seems to be handling the situation well enough, with the help of Tommy who's done evacuating the perimeter. His main concern is Billy, though he's doing great. His spells have become stronger and no aliens have gotten even close to touching him.

"Ran out of arrows," Kate announces after a while. "Let's go down."

They land next to Billy and Loki, who seem to have cleared the area for now.

Things seem to be doing alright when the first leviathan attacks. It flies over their heads like a giant metallic whale. Teddy looks at it with his mouth wide open as its body destroys the nearby buildings. He's still in a daze when America flies right after it.

"Teddy!" She calls without stopping.

He finally reacts, flying after her. He finds her punching the body and creating huge dents on its armor. He quickly joins her.

"It's not working!" he shouts after a while, morphing his arm to cover them from the falling rubble.

"Let's try going for the head," America proposes.

He nods at her and as soon as they have an opening from the rubble they fly to the front part of the monster.

"Ready?" He asks as they stand over what seems to be its forehead. "Punch!"

They hit it at the exact same time, making the skull bend inwards, hopefully crushing whatever brain it has. The creature howls and crashes on the ground, breaking through the train station's wall.

They end up standing over the fallen monster in the middle of Central Station.

"Oh yeah!" He shouts raising a fist for America to bump it.

He thinks she's totally gonna let him hanging but goes for it anyway. To his surprise, she strongly bumps her fist against his with a fierce smile of his face. Teddy shakes is sore knuckles and smiles back but she's already gone serious.

"C'mon," she says flying away, "let's go help the others."

"Ok, here's the deal," Kate says when we arrive where they have regrouped, "we can't defeat them as long as they keep coming," she says pointing at the portal over Stark building.

"They have a hive mentality," David adds. "If we are lucky, the lost of connection could get rid of them, or at least confuse them."

_When are we ever lucky?_ Teddy wonders.

"Billy can close the portal," Loki continues. "We just gotta take him there. Ms. Chavez, you..."

"I can take you there," she turns to Billy cutting Loki off.

"I can fly there myself," Billy pouts, offended by America's overprotectiveness. Teddy finds it adorable.

"We need you to cover him," David explains.

"As I was going to explain, he needs to be completely focused for the spell to work," Loki goes on glaring at her.

"Alright," she nods ignoring him.

"Be back soon, Tee" Billy says, turning at him with an attempt of cheerful smile.

"You better, Bee," he answers with his best confident smile before pressing a quick kiss on his lips.

"Enough smooching!" Loki complains. "Saving the world time."

Billy nods blushing and flies away, closely followed by America.

Teddy barely has time to worry about him before the next wave of aliens attack. For what seems too long, nothing changes and he begins to get anxious. Where's Billy? Why hasn't he closed the portal? Is he alright? He's about to ask –or force– Loki to take him to them when the aliens he's fighting collapse. Around them, their enemies fall.

They cheer as America and Billy approach them.

"Good job, Bee, I– What happened?!" He asks as soon as he sees the deep swollen cut on his boyfriends lip.

  
"My bad," America says grimly. "I should've stayed closer."

"You were fighting seven of them, A," Billy tells her before turning back to Teddy. "One of them surprised me on the roof," he shrugs, "but I handled it. It's alright."

Teddy still looks at him worriedly, but despite the cut he sees Billy gleaming with a proud smile he hasn't seen in a while. He finally smiles back at him.

"You did great," he says fondly, cleaning his lip with his thumb before stepping away to refocus on the rest if the team.

"Now what do we do?" David asks looking around, careful to talk not interrupting Teddy's moment with Billy.

"Let S.H.I.E.L.D. handle it," Loki shrugs. "We need to talk about the Avengers."

As they walk away from ground cero, Teddy spots some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arriving to the area. He guesses they probably have an special team to handle post-crisis areas to keep people from asking too many questions. He decides he doesn't really care. They averted the crisis, the rest is the grown-ups problem, for once.

"Okay, explain what happened with the Avengers," Kate demands.

"I found a note from my brother two days ago saying there was an emergency in another planet," Loki shrugs. "Apparently they'll be gone for a couple months at the least."

"All of them?" Tommy asks.

"As far as I know," Loki shrugs.

"Then the Earth's been left without its first line of defense," Noh-Varr comments crossing his arms.

"No wonder there was an alien invasion today," David says grimly. "If anyone else knows about this we'll probably see more trouble soon."

"No Avengers," Teddy mumbles to himself worriedly. That couldn't end well.

"Not exactly," Billy says perking up. "We are practically Avengers, right? We'll take care of it... I mean, until they come back," he shrugs.

Kate, Tommy and Teddy look at him wide-eyed. The other four frown unhappily.

"Come on," Billy insists looking at the others's glares.

Teddy understands, though. David's not a fan of hero teams like the X-men and the Avengers. Noh-Varr has had some seriously bad experiences with them. Loki knows they don't trust him and is still resentful for their not believing him. And America.... Well, Teddy doesn't know what her problem is but she looks the least happy of them all. That's why he's so surprised when she's the first one to give in.

"Alright," she sighs.

For some reason, as soon as she says so the other three seem to give in. They relax their shoulders, let go of their crossed arms and change the glares for slightly uncomfortable expressions. She still looks the most annoyed.

"But I am not an Avenger," she warns them squinting her eyes. "Call me if you need me."

And with that, she flies away. Billy still blinks surprised a couple times before smiling triumphantly. The rest of the team say a couple things more in agreement and eventually leave them alone. Kate and Tommy are the last ones leave hand in hand, after shooting Billy worried glances.

"Are you sure about this, Bee?" Teddy asks while they walk back to his home.

"Absolutely. I mean... I know we've said we'd retire... And I'm still totally convinced it'd be the safest thing to do... But after the whole Mother thing, and now this... I don't know, I guess I realized we just can't stop being heroes. We'll always jump right into the action when the world needs us, right? I just don't see how we could stop."

Teddy glances at him and sees that same proud smile in his face, with a sparkle in his eyes that he once feared he'd lost forever when he got bad. He is right, they couldn't just stop being who they were because things got hard. He's known it all along, even before the Mother problem. Still, he wanted to make sure Billy was doing this fully convinced. Didn't want to force him into anything.

He finally smiles, intertwining his fingers with his as they walk down the street.

"I was talking with Kate about which Avenger each of us'd be," he finally says.

"I wanna be Thor."


	4. Settle Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knowing that the multiverse is in peril and that the Avengers are needed, some important decisions have been made. Now it's time for some more... practical arrangements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slower chapter with some more bonding.

"Patrol schedule?" Tommy asks outraged. "I don't do schedules."

"Well, you have to," David shrugs. "If the Avengers are gone and we are in surveillance duty, we need to make sure there's no time where the streets are unattended."

"And we can't all be out on patrol at the same time," Kate adds. "Otherwise, whenever a crisis  _does_ happen, we'll all be exhausted."

"So it's set. We're calling a team-meeting to discuss Patrol Schedules," Billy says with a nod.

"Already sent the text," Teddy grins.

Their phones ring at the same time, getting his text.

 

 

> _From Teddy: Team Meeting. Our Place. Bring Snacks. —T._

_  
_"Good call on the snacks," Tommy smirks.

"How else are we supposed to keep you quiet?" Billy snorts.

"Hey! I'm not-"

Their phones ring again.

> _From America: Busy._

_  
_They look at each other. Billy and Teddy look disappointed, Kate looks annoyed, Tommy relieved and David, as usual, suspicious.

"That's weird," he says. "Didn't she say she'd be available whenever we called?"

"I guess this doesn't qualify as an emergency," Kate shrugs, a bit bitterly. America simply seems mind-set on keeping her distance from the team, as usual. She'd really thought that'd changed by the end of their trip.

* * *

 

About half an hour later, they're all gathered at the boy's place. Noh-Varr's distractedly going around, looking at Billy's parents's collection of 80's music while everyone else sits around the living room. The snacks are hardly enough to keep Tommy busy for five minutes.

"Alright, so we've got to figure out what we'll do with patrol schedules," Billy re-states the obvious.

"Are we not waiting for Ms. Chavez?" Loki asks quirking an eyebrow. "If I am to be held accountable for this childish nonsense and tied to a ridiculous schedule, I at the very least require that everyone else is treated equally."

"America said she was busy," Kate answers calmly. "Probably multiverse business."

"You _know_ that," David points out looking at Loki. "We all got her text."

"I believed you'd made her change her mind," Loki shrugs, putting up his best innocent expression nobody buys anymore.

They wait for him to keep talking, but he seems to be waiting for the question.

"And why would you think that?" Tommy finally bites in.

"Because she's in 616," Loki smirks.

"She is?" Billy blinks surprised.

"And how do you know that?" David asks.

"Doesn't matter. Magical reasons. You wouldn't understand," Loki replies with a smug smirk, perfectly knowing how his words will piss him off.

"Try me."

"Alright, boys, no fighting," Kate sighs and turns to Loki. "So she's here?"

"And very close to us, I dare say. I could  _track_ her, if you wish me to."

"I don't think that's a very good idea," Teddy says frowning. "I don't think she'd want us to."

"But what if she's in trouble," Billy asks. "I mean, she goes to the dimensions that have crisis, right? Maybe we can help... We're her team, after all..."

"Last time we thought she was in trouble it was just Loki playing us," David says with a frown.

"Hey! I am here now, am I not?" Loki asks offended.

"She can probably handle her own business alright," Noh-Varr says without looking away from the records in his hands. He respects America as a warrior, enough to trust her to be alright.  Everyone else stares a little, since they weren't expecting him to be paying attention.

"Yeah, but what if she's just trying to protect you form whatever crisis she's facing?" Loki asks. He doesn't sound worried, though. Just amused.

"You know something," David says glaring at him.

"I know many things."

"So are we going to do this or not?" Tommy asks exasperated. "Just make up your mind already. I'm tired of hearing you banter."

Kate sighs. This meeting is going no where. 

"Loki, can you track her?" she asks pinching the bridge of her nose. The faster they get over this matter, the faster they can actually begging discussing important stuff.

The godling smiles mischievously as his palms shine in green. 

"Alright, members of our merry band, follow me!" he says standing up.

He guides them through the streets, looking at his hand every now and then as if he was following a map. They turn about four times before he halts. They're hardly six blocks away from Billy's house and there seems to be no battle going on.

"Are you sure America's around here?" Teddy asks looking around. "I expected a lot more of punching."

Loki looks around with a frown before victoriously pointing at the diner across the street. 

"There," he says crossing the street and walking in. 

"What? Here? She's eating instead of coming to our meeting?" Kate asks walking in after him.

"I don't see her..." Billy says looking around.

"Neither do I," Teddy agrees.

"Maybe she's not here," Noh-Varr shrugs.

"Nope. Definitively here," Loki insists looking around.

Suddenly a waitress is standing before them.

"Table for seven?" she asks energetically. 

"Uh..."

"Is someone waiting for you already?" she says, noting how they're looking around.

"Was there a girl here? Alone. Probably dressed very...  _patriotic_ ," Billy says.

"Nope," the girl shakes her head. She's starting to look annoyed. "So, table for seven?"

They look at each other awkwardly. David frowns at Loki but he insists and nods. This is the place.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Kate finally mutters.

They follow the girl to one of the booths. The place's decorated as a diner from the 60's, with red booths, white tables and even a jukebox Noh sends a longing look at.

"My name is Rebecca," the girl says with a big smile as they shuffle in. "Your waitress will be with you in a moment."

As soon as she leaves they keep looking around, trying to stretch their necks to see everyone's face better. There's no sign of America, though. Her thick curls and particular way of dressing would've made her stand out easily if she was there.

"Are you sure?" Teddy insists.

"I am telling you I am," Loki looks offended. "I know this spell perfectly well and my magic has recovered enough to perform it perfectly."

The waitress arrives, handing out menus monotonously. 

"Hello, my name's Erica and I'll be your wa—  _What the hell are you doing here?"_

They suddenly look up. The girl before them has her hair tied up in a high ponytail, no earrings, a simple pair of jeans, a plain white blouse and a yellow apron. Not a single star or stripe in her outfit... but she's definitively America.

"America?"

" _Erica?"_

"Can I have a milkshake?"

"What are  _you_ doing here?" Kate retorts.

"Wait a minute. You're  _working?_ _"_ David asks. "Here in New York?"

"Good deduction, smart-boy," she says rolling her eyes.

"I'd like to have a milkshake, please," Loki repeats with a mischievous smile.

The rest glare at him as America writes it down making an annoyed face.

"Anyone else want something?" she asks tonelessly.

"America, what are you doing here?" Teddy insists.

"How did you find me in the first place?" she asks arching an eyebrow.

All eyes turn to Loki.

"Should've guessed," she rolls her eyes again. "Anyway, be right back."

"No, wait. You have to explain..." Billy says but his voice quickly dies down at her glare. "Please."

She lets out a deep sigh. 

"Lou!" she suddenly shouts. "I'm taking five!"

"Make it two!" a male voice comes from the kitchen.

"Alright, what do you  _need_ to know?" she turns to them, her face falling back to her usual straight-to-business frown. 

" _What are you doing here?"_ Kate insists.

"Working," she deadpans.

"Why?"

"Because I need money," she grunts exasperated. "Listen, we agreed Earth-Earth and New York needed us, right? So I'm staying here for a while, until we've fixed this. That means I need money, Princess."

"So you're  _living_ at 616?" Billy asks with wide eyes. " _Where?"_

Suddenly America falls silent in a different way. Her eyes quickly shoot down before looking back up at him.

"Am, where are you staying?" Teddy asks cautiously, with a bit of a worried frown.

"I should get back to my job," she says quickly turning away.

"America, wait," Kate tries to shuffle out of the booth to go after her, but she's to late and America has already disappeared inside the kitchen.

She sighs once the door's closed behind her. 

"Tough table?" Rebecca asks with an empathic smile. 

"Nothing I can't handle," she deadpans walking to the kitchen and asking for a milkshake.

"Just a milkshake? _F_ _or a table of seven_? Geez!" Rebecca says following her. "Those kids look like trouble. I knew it. Specially the one with the funny hat. _Geek_."

"Yeah, he's definitively trouble," she snorts.

"Wait, you  _know_ them? Are they, like, your friends?"

"Uh... _sure_ ," she shrugs grabbing the milkshake. "Something like that."

"Crap. Sorry for calling them—"

"Don't worry about it," she cuts her off plainly as she walks back out.

"There," she says putting the milkshake on the table and turning to walk away again.

"Am, wait!" Teddy calls her. 

She looks up, as if begging the sky for patience, before turing back around.

"We were talking about it," he says running a hand through his hair nervously, "and we think you should stay with Kate while you're here."

" _What?_ " she arches an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we no longer have any extra-rooms in my house now that Tommy's back living with us," Billy shrugs as Tommy grins, "but Kate does have a guest room you can stay at. No point in paying for rent if you don't need to. 

She blinks surprised. She  _isn't_ paying rent. She's kinda sleeping wherever she can find a place to catch some sleep. 

"So what do you say?" Kate asks sheepishly.

America shoots a dubious glance at her. 

"Look," Kate sighs, "I don't want to _force_ you to come. But you're my friend, America. You said so yourself. I want to do something _nice_ for you. Besides, you'll be closer to the team, which is the whole point of you staying in New York _and_ ," she adds, "we'll know you're alright and will stop going wherever Loki says you're at."

"Hey!" Loki looks at her offended.

America keeps her face straight, though she's starting to feel anxious. She can feel the pressure of their eyes on her, waiting for an answer eagerly.

"Okay," she sighs.

"Perfect," Kate beams. "You know where I live. You can bring your stuff over when your shift's done."

"Fine," America purses her lips and walks away.

"Well, that went better than expected," David says surprised once she's gone.

"You don't actually think she didn't have a place to stay at, do you?" Billy asks looking around.

"She didn't," Noh-Varr deadpans. "Knowing her, she wouldn't have accepted otherwise."

 A grim silence falls around them until Loki breaks it.

"This milkshake's great. I'm definitively coming here often," he says with a mischievous grin. "What?" he asks when everyone glares at him. "You worry too much. This is  _Ms. Chavez_ we're talking about, remember? She'll be fine."

* * *

It's late at night when America arrives at Kate's place, but she's waiting up for her.

"You took long enough," Kate teases when she opens the door.

America gives her a sheepish smile. She's holding a small back pack on one shoulder. Literally everything she owns. The surprised look Kate shoots at it doesn't go unnoticed.

"Sorry. I was kinda busy," she shrugs.

"Don't worry," Kate says letting her in and guiding her upstairs. "Billy and Teddy just left a while ago. We were doing the patrol schedules... theoretically. We ended up watching bad movies," she snorts. "We still have to figure out what works out with your shift hours. Did you just get out now?"

"Nah. I had some business to deal with somewhere else."

Kate turns over her shoulder with a curious look, but she doesn't add anything else. The other girl eventually gives up and gestures towards the room. 

"Here," she says. "This is the guest room. Make yourself at home."

America blinks surprised at the last word and turns to her.

"Thanks, Princess," she says with a small genuine smile.

"Don't mention it," Kate says and then yawns. "I'm going to bed now. See you in the morning."

"See ya," America says walking in and closing the door behind her.

Once she's alone, she lets the back pack fall to the ground and hugs herself looking at the empty walls. She walks slowly to the bed and drops heavily on it, facing the ceiling. She lets out a deep sigh and closes her eyes, wondering how the hell did she end up here. As grateful and moved she's by the team's concern, she can't avoid feeling trapped. She wonders what made her accept on the first place. Not just about staying with Kate but about this whole teaming-up-again thing.

She knows the answer.

She cares too much about those kids.

She has to save the world.

She feels trapped.


	5. Hostiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out, the holes are not the only problem. There's also what's on the other side, and it's not about to make anything easier.

 

 

> _From Princess: Invasion In New York._

> _From Billy: ??_

> _From Teddy: Again?_

> _From Fast Bobo: Srly?_

> _From David: Where?_

> _From Chico: This is ridiculous. We have just gotten rid of the Chitauri._

> _From Princess: 5th Avenue._

> _From Princess: Hurry up._

> _From Fast Bobo: Already here._

> _From Teddy: We're on our way._

America looks at her phone and back at the clock. Her shift isn't done for another half an hour.

"In a hurry?" Rebecca asks walking past her towards the kitchen.

"Yes," she frowns putting the rest of the plates on her tray.

The place's almost empty already, but there's a couple people more just starting to order. She's getting anxious.

"Emergency?" Rebecca asks walking back out.

"Yes."

She takes the trays to the kitchen and sighs with frustration. 

"Go."

"What?"

"Erica, go. I'll cover for you," the other girl says. "You're no use here if you're gonna be all distracted and I can handle two tables on my own."

"But Lou-"

"He won't mind. He's probably watching the game or something. Just go."

"Thank you," America gives her a dry nod that doesn't nearly express how thankful she is, before grabbing her jacket and running out.

 

 

> _From America: On my way._

* * *

 

The invaders almost seem human. At least, their armors do, though they can't see their faces. They're dressed in silver and armed with some kind of laser guns. Billy and Teddy mentioned _Robocop_ , but she ha no idea what they meant. Still, she can punch perfectly fine though the metal and that's all that matters right now. The laser shots sting, but nothing she can't take.

She's punching one of them right across the face when she hears David call her name. She looks down, expecting to find him at ground level, but finds him flying towards her. He's riding one of those flying-boards the aliens are using. At this point, she isn't even surprised that he figured out how to use them.

"What's up?" she asks throwing her opponent away against a building.

He only points. Above them, there's a big hole. In it's center there's only darkness, and a strange purple-ish shine around it's edges. 

"Fuck."

David looks at her and she realizes maybe her voice gave up more than she'd intended it to. Maybe she'd sounded worried. Scared. 

"They are coming through there," David says. 

America nods accepting the information immediately. It makes sense. That's why they seem to be so strangely resistant to even her. Why they don't look like any alien she's encountered so far. They come from another parallel world; and a part of her is relieved to confirm the holes are not leading to  _her_ world. 

" _Where_ are they coming from?" David asks next to her. 

"Tell you later," she says looking up.

She's got no intention to explain, but right now her mind's preoccupied by something else. She can hear Billy's voice clearly even from the distance.

"IwanttheholetocloseIwanttheholetocloseIwanttheholetocl..."

"Amer-" 

Before David insists she speeds off to catch Billy who of course passes out at the effort. She grunts to herself as she catches him midair, closing a hole in existence is way out of Billy's league right now.

"Don't," she deadpans sitting him on a rooftop, far enough from the battle for him to catch his breath safely.

"I can do it."

"No. You can't," she glares at him.

"But-" he looks hurt.

"Billy, you just passed out trying to close it," she softens her tone squatting next to him. "The holes will close by themselves,"  _for now._ "and you're one of our strongest. We need you ready to fight right now."

He perks up a little and nods with a focused frown. 

"Good," she says before flying away and back into the battle.

 

* * *

 

"So what the hell were those things?" Tommy asks kicking a body out of the way as they regroup.

The holes closed barely a few minutes ago, as the fighters retreated back into them. The ones remaining are either those who were already knocked down and a few left behind that seem to have fallen unconscious one by one.

"They came from the holes," David says frowning.

"Oh! Thank you,  _Prodigy,_ we hadn't noticed," Loki rolls his eyes. _  
_

"The question's _what_ they are," Kate says kicking one softly. The helmet rolls off only to reveal an empty armor.

"Uh, what?" Billy arches an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Creepy," Teddy whispers next to him.

"I had never seen anything like this," Noh-Varr declares plainly, though his eyebrows are slightly pinched.

The rest of the eyes turn to America, wondering if her experience has given her an answer. She frowns thoughtfully and shakes her head. 

"Let's ask," she says as her eyes catch a glimpse of one still moving.

She dashes towards him, followed by the team. By the time she reaches him she's left most of them behind except Tommy who's practically on her heels. She grabs the armor, bending it under her fingers, and raises him off the ground. With her left hand, she rips the front part of the helmet off and throws it away, fist ready to break someone's face. If there was a  _face_ to punch. Instead, they are greeted by what tv static looks like. She thinks she can make a face out of it but isn't sure.

"What are you?" Tommy asks.

The face seems to move to look at him, a pair of sparkly eyes setting on him. 

"What are you?" the thing repeats. It's voice is like white noise and sends a shiver down both their backs, though neither acknowledges it. "Human," it continues. "Mutant."

Tommy glares at it clenching his fists. It is defining _him_ and making him nervous. 

"What are you?" America demands again, partly to take it's attention away from Tommy.

Once the sparkling eyes set on hers, she understands Tommy's tension. It feels as an electric shiver going down her spine.

"What are you?" it echoes again. "What are you?  _What are you? What are you?!"_ the electric being starts to repeat, anger and frustration growing in it's voice as the static seems to star pouring out of the suit. 

The others are getting closer. 

"Stand back!" she orders without taking her eyes away from the being and feeling it vibrate in her hands. "What the hell are you?" she mutters looking at it defiantly. _  
_

"WHAT ARE YOU?" it repeats, it's voice becoming a screech as the energy explodes from the suit.

"Down!" Tommy has time to shout. 

The only thing she can do is gasp and let go as a painful electric current sends her flying several feet backwards and the suit explodes with energy. She hits a car and the alarm goes off as the world goes dark.

She can't hear anything but an annoying high-pitched ringing on her hears for a moment. She forces herself to open her eyes.

The team's running towards her, but she catches a glimpse of a sparkle running through her body before they can reach her.

"Don't get any closer!" she demands, but her voice sounds muffled to her own ears.

They seem to hear her alright because they stop a couple feet away from her. She struggles to stand up, but a wave of pain shoots up her arm. She mutters a  _fuck_ between clenched teeth and takes her other hand to her sore arm holding it. She's surrounded by sparkles and buzzing with energy. Part of her knows she absorbs most of that blast. Secondary effects of being a magic-created being. 

The team is still looking at her cautiously, so she stands up straight and looks at them calmly, trying to focus over the way the energy buzzing through her body hurts, as if she was overloaded. Her hearing's coming back to her slowly, as she starts to hear what they are saying.

"...do we do?"

"How...?"

"...happened?"

"...but ...she alright?"

She looks at them firmly and nods, though  _alright_ is a far cry from what she's feeling right now.

"Master Kaplan..." she recognizes Loki's voice.

Him and Billy start talking in a voice too low for her to hear. Then their hands glow green and blue as she feels the electricity in her body dissipate. She breaths in a slightly shaky breath and gives them a thankful look. Her arms still hurts, but other than that she feels much better. Only a little shaky and breathing heavily. Once the sparks are gone the team rushes towards her but she instinctively gives a step back. 

"It is alright, Chavez, the energy's gone," a hand drops on her shoulder.

She gives Loki a warning look and he promptly takes his hand away. She's still thankful, but that's pushing it too far. _  
_

"What was that thing?" Kate finally asks.

"It looked like it was made of energy," David comments. "I'd guess their suits are made to contain their bodies. After you ripped it open, it couldn't contain it's physical state much longer."

"What was it saying?" Billy asks.

"It was just repeating your question, wasn't it?" Teddy says.

"So did you find out what it was?"

"Did it say anything?"

"Did it answer?"

The questions continue but America ignores them. Still panting, she shoots a glance at Tommy who's unusually quiet. They share a grim look, knowing they can't describe what that thing was or made them feel.

"Do you know why it attacked you?"

"Are you two alright?"

"Did it say something else?"

"Do you know what it was?"

"No," she finally deadpans looking at all of them and answering every question at once.

She shoots an enquiring glance at Loki, hoping he knows something else. He shakes his head almost imperceptibly. She can tell he isn't lying this time.

America sighs. Too many unanswered questions so far, and she's got the feeling she's not gonna like the answers.

 


	6. New Friends, Old Friends, New Enemies, Old Trouble.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> America's never been a very good team player. Not even when she was co-captain of her own team. Not even now that the Multiverse's at risk.

America hates being wounded, but not as much as she hated  _down time._ So she refuses to take it. The morning following the battle against the interdimensional creatures, Erica's serving coffee at the dinner, using her right hand instead of the left. She's a little slower than usual, but she'll manage.

Even harder than the wounds, though, is meddling with the team. They are clearly worried about the incident and she can't stand the looks they give her every time they're in the same room. So she avoids them. She leaves Kate's place early every morning and arrives when she knows everyone else will be gone and they'll let her sleep. The nights she has patrol she doesn't go back to the place at all. Since her patrols are with Noh-Varr and he's prudent enough not to make a comment about it, she has more than enough time to think calmly.  _  
_

It all goes right until the Monday of the third week.

"Geek guy's back," Rebecca tells her inside the kitchen as she brings over a tray full of empty plates. "Sitting at the bar today."

America holds back a grunt as she glances through the small round door window. Effectively, there he is. Loki.  _Great._

"Can you take care of him?"

"Sorry, I'm swamped. 'Sides, looks like he's looking for you," the redhead says with a playful smile before walking back out. 

America takes a couple deep breaths and tells herself to keep it together before walking out. Loki doesn't look up from his phone as she approaches him. 

"Let me guess. A milkshake?" She deadpans already writing it down.

"Oh, hi,  _Erica,"_ he says her fake name mockingly. "Wow! It's like you can read my mind."

America rolls her eyes.

"Be right back," she says. And she is, putting the glass in front of him as soon as she can manage, just wanting to get this over with. "Would that be all?"

"No, not really. The team wants to talk to you," Loki says calmly before starting to sip of the straw.

"Good. They're free to do so whenever they want," America deadpans turing around.

"Waitress!" Loki calls back for her, loud enough that she can't ignore it without getting in trouble.

" _What?"_ She asks sharply, turning around to glare at him.

"No they can't," he goes on ignoring the interruption. "They are all worried about you. They are all just too scared to tell you."

America arched an eyebrow at him.

"That doesn't answer why the hell are you here," she points out. Loki being  _worried_ about her is a possibility out the table.

"Because I'm not scared of you," Loki gives America that very-serious-grim-look of his, where he tilts his chin down and looks at her behind his thick eyebrows. America let's out a very dry snort on return. Of course he is scared of her, little piece of lying- "I think _you_ are scared."

America slams her palms on the countertop, glaring at him and ignoring the looks the costumers give her.

"What did you just-"

"I think you're scared of what's happening," Loki replies, quickly finishing his milkshake and preparing his retreat as he drops some bucks in front of her. "And if you do not calm the teams worries by acting normal and being a part of the team, I might share my little theories with them, yes?" That's a threat, full Loki style, accompanied with a sly smirk as he turns around and walks away. 

America doesn't say a thing. She grabs the money, puts it into the cash machine and gets herself busy again. Rebecca shoots her a couple worried looks she makes sure to ignore. Shutting her down as she always does to everyone. As she's doing with the team. 

But she can't go on forever. Not with the state of things.

She shows up to the next team meeting. No one makes a comment about the incident. Not even Loki.

* * *

 "This guys again?!" Teddy grunts as his fist smashes an interdimensional alien's helmet in.

"Looks like it," Billy says, floating beside him, taking as many as he can out with a spell. They just keep coming.

The battle around them seems pretty similar to last time. They're in over their heads, waiting for the damn hole to close already and give them room to breath. At least, this time they know what they're facing. More or less. America tries, not very successfully, the way she's more wary this time while fighting the robots. She's angrier too, more destructive, but she tends to use attacks that don't involve her coming into contact with them for too long. Tommy's into a somewhat similar situation. 

"Did you notice?" David asks when America lands next to him, helping with the battle on the ground for a while.

"That we're being attacked again? Yeah," America deadpans, not in the mood for smalltalk.

"Not that," David says annoyed as he shoots at the nearest hoard of aliens with a gun that's almost bigger than him. It seems to be one of the most useful ways to get rid of them so far. "We're not the only ones fighting them," he explains pointing upwards. 

America follows the direction of his hand and spots something that truly makes her go cold. They look like white spheres. Big, shiny, and they're shooting at the creatures as well, knocking them out with just one hit.

"Normalizers," she mutters, fists clenching.

"Normal _what?_ " David asks confused.

"They won't attack you," she assures him, sending another alien flying. "They'll just attack whatever doesn't  _belong_ to this world."

_Like her._

"Well, that's good, right?" David asks, trying too hard not to sound too cheerful. Their positivity is rarely rewarded with good results.

"Yeah, good," America doesn't sound quite as convinced.

"How do you know all that?!"

"You really wanna get into it right now?!"

"...yes!"

She doesn't answer, just keeps fighting.

She stays on the ground, away from the hole's edges where the normalizers are hovering. They won't attack any other team member so for now she doesn't have to worry about them. 

The battle goes on for a while before the extra shots start happening around them, at ground level, as well. Each hit immediately sends the empty armor crumbling to the ground. 

"Are those normalizers too?!" David shouts over the battle roar.

America's whole body tenses as she looks around, ready to fight or flee the normalizers. What she see is... not what she was expecting. She can't tell what she feels about it right now yet. She can't risk focusing on it.

Over them, there's a strange sound, a mix between a whale and a magic spell, as the hole closes as suddenly as it'd appeared. The normalizers disappear along with it. The armies left behind keep fighting. With the skies clear of the spheres, America quickly flies up to help the rest finish the battle up there. She's the last one left in the air. She's punching in a sparkly creature's head when she realizes what's going down on the ground.

There's two groups of people staring at each other, both with their weapons ready to blow each other up. Even from afar she can see a mix of anger and confusion in the Young Avengers' faces. It's clear if they haven't attacked yet, it's because they're not sure if they should, yet. It's the other team she's more worried about.

America lands heavily, denting the pavement, halfway between both groups, with her back turned at the Young Avengers as she faces the strangers.

"Chavez," the leader of the other team greets coldly, still pointing his guns at her.

"Nullifier," she responds tensely.

"Tell your team to put down their guns."

"Tell your team to do the same."

They stare at each other for a tense long moment before they both gesture at the people behind them to stand down. Nullifiers' people do it right away. The Young Avengers still doubt for a couple seconds before reciprocating. It's not usual for America to give an order to them, specially so one of standing down.

"What are you doing here?" America asks, not relaxing entirely, giving half a step towards Nullifier.

"Same thing as you. Avengers are gone, someone has to take care of this mess. You didn't think you were the only ones who could take care of it, did you?" He asks teasingly, walking towards her too.

"I was actually surprised that I hadn't heard from you yet," America admits, crossing her arms.

"Oh, we're always around. Just doing help behind the scenes. You know the Teen Brigade-"

"I know your speech. No need to repeat it," she cut him off dryly.

"Nice way to thank us for saving your asses, asshole."

"No one asked for your help, jerk."

"Didn't mean you didn't need it."

Before she realizes, they're standing face to face. America might not be specially tall, but she's always been glad she's taller than him. Makes it easier to glare down at him. They keep the cold stares for a long moment. She can feel both teams shuffling behind them, ready for more action. Then, Nullifier breaks into a smirk. America answers with a similar one as they shake hands.

"It's good to see you, idiot," she says calmly turning around to see the shocked faces of the rest of her teammates. "Young Avengers, this is the Team Brigade."

They don't move, barely react. She can feel every single one of them glaring at Nullifier.

"Is that your new team?" He snorts. "What a bunch of-"

"Watch it."

"Why do they look at me like they want to rip my head off."

"Because they do."

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm sure I haven't done anything to deserve _that_ yet!" He grunts shaking his hands in the air. 

"It's a long story."

 "Well, looks like we have some catching up to do."

As the Young Avengers and the Teen Brigade slowly start to talk to each other, America takes a walk with Nullifier. She notices the team eyeing her carefully.

"So they created another me?!" the white headed guy snaps angrily. "That's fucking wrong? There is only  _one_ Ultimate Nullifier and he wouldn't go around following some stupid little green girly girl b-"

"You might wanna shut up," America prompts rolling her eyes.

"So you really thought I was one of the fucking bad guys?!" 

"Fits the profile," America shrugs. "You  _are_ an asshole with an ego the size of the moon."

"Thanks," he snorts with that annoying smirk that somehow makes him look  _more_ like a douche. "So what? I kicked you guys's ass?"

"Please, you couldn't hit me if you tried," America rolls her eyes. "You had to play dirty..."

"Obviously."

"Shot one of them to get me."

"Of course you'd be the one jumping in front of the bullet. Or beam, whatever," he rolls his eyes. "Lemme guess. Nerdy Geek with the dumbass hat?" he asks pointing at Loki with his thumb.

"How-?"

"He's the obvious choice," Nullifier shrugged. "So, cheating or not, I kicked your ass, right?"

"Have we met?" America arches an eyebrow at him. "I kicked you in the balls."

Nullifier winces. "That's playing dirty!"

"Sure is," America smirks.

"Okay, so cut the crap. What's going on here?" 

America looks up to the sky. "What? Do I have to spell it for you?"

"Holes in the sky. Not the weirdest thing we've seen. So how do we stop the ugly dudes from coming here?"

"You don't."

"What? You're gonna coward out now?"

"Shut your hole. You don't stop it. I do."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Nullifier asks crossing his arms.

"What you've been doing. Keep providing help behind the scenes."

"I will, but not cause you told me to, Missy."

"Yeah, yeah," America rolls her eyes walking away. She knows things are not gonna be getting sentimental between them. That's good by her. "Say hello to Angela," she waves as she approaches the team, who are already regrouping.

"So, what happened?" Loki asks immediately when she arrives. He looks like he's ready to start a fight any minute. 

_Well, that's new._

"Nothing. They'll keep doing their job and we keep doing ours. That's it."

Teddy looks even angrier than the rest. "But he-"

"He's not the one we were fighting," America says dryly, cutting him off. "It was Loki," She sees Loki flinch slightly at the comment, hurt, and she knows that was maybe too harsh, but having a past part of her life exposed in front of the team put her in a defensive mood. "Let's bounce before SHIELD arrives to clean this up."

She can see they still have questions, like usual, and she's sad about not being able to give them the answers they want. She tells herself it's for their own good, but she knows part of her is lying. This is also about protecting her own secrets.

At least David forgot to ask about the Normalizers.  _That's_ one thing she'd really rather not getting into right now.

 


	7. Outsiders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holes in reality keep coming, but the Young Avengers have got some help. The Teen Brigade, the x-men... and those Normalizers, in charge of wiping out anything not belonging to this world. Great help, right? 
> 
> Not so much for one of them.

"Hey, Am, are you hungry?" Kate asks, knocking on the other girl's door before entering anyway. She pauses as America enters her line of sight.

They'd just arrived incursion five minutes ago, can she already be sleeping? She looks like she just collapsed on the bed face first —which is exactly what happened. Her boots are the only thing she took off, apparently, and are laying on the floor next to her bed, and her entire face is buried on the pillow. Kate wonders if she can breath that way. Does she need air at all? She can breath in space so-

Her thoughts are interrupted when America responds, or, more accurately,  _groans,_ not giving signals to move.

"C'mon, Princess, let's go down stairs for something to eat, then you can sleep. You need diner- or, breakfast, I guess," she winces, glancing at the clock on the wall. 

"Let me sleep," America mutters, and Kate can't help being surprised by her voice sounding almost like a whine. Very much like a regular human teenager. "I have work in three hours."

Kate can't help herself form wincing again.

"Ow, shouldn't you, like, call sick, or something?"

"No."

"But you-"

"Need to show up."

"Don't you think you're overworking yourself, America?"

"Hmmm- Shut up and let me sleep," she mutters rolling over and Kate knows that irritated tone well enough to back off and close the door cautiously. She sends one last worried look before going back downstairs, quickly shooting a text to the guys.

Just as expected, America's up in time for work, or at least Kate guesses so because she's no where to be seen by the time she gets up. She can't help but worry about her friend. It annoys her. She blames Clint for making her get into the habit of wanting to look after friends who suck at looking after themselves, but in all honesty she  _knows_ deep inside this is more about Cassie than about anyone else. She's already lost one best friend because she let her take on more than she could handle, she's not about to loose this one too. 

America arrives late at night, dragging her feet only slightly. She tries to act natural, but just one look is enough for Kate to know how exhausted she is. There's only one time she's seen her like this before, it was after weeks of literally kicking wholes through realities. Back then, she wouldn't make any comment either, but even Noh'd made a comment about how she'd collapse if they didn't slow down their trips. Not that anyone'd dare even suggesting that to America, back then. Now, though... now Kate's not going to back down.

"Hey, Princess," America says and, somehow, the fact that she's trying to make small talk just makes it clearer that she's concealing how tired she feels, "just gonna take a shower, then I'm out on patrol. Don't wait up-"

"Oh, no way," Kate cuts her off, frowning. "I've already called Tommy and asked him to cover for you today."

"What-?"

"You can make up for it on the weekend, after you've taken some free time."

"Kate, I'm not-"

" _I don't care!"_ And now Kate's yelling, for some reason, and feels bad about it, but at least it makes America stop, almost startled.  _Okay, Bishop, think. You need to give her a good reason to slow down._ "Look, Chavez, I get it you're used to this whole solo-hero thing, but you're part of this team whether you like it or not. It means we all depend on each other, but how are you gonna have our backs next time there's an attack if you can barely keep your eyes open?"

America doesn't answer, just blinks at Kate and she can  _almost_ see her being a bit shaken on the inside. It's barely a second before America closes off again, as usual.

"Fine," she finally shrugs after the silence'd stretched for so long that Kate'd thought America was just giving her the silent treatment. "Whatever, just don't put me on patrol with Loki on the weekend," the dark skinned girl goes on, walking away to the bathroom. "I still need that shower."

"The boys are coming over to watch some movies. You could join-"

The door slams closed even before she can finish the sentence.

America comes out until an hour later. Kate wonders if she fell asleep in the shower. No, America wouldn't do something like that. And if she did, she'd never admit it anyway.

They are all already watching the movie, cuddled up on the couches. Billy and Teddy are sharing the love sit, Loki 'won' the individual one and Kate is alone on the biggest sofa. Without making any comments, America comes over and sits next to her, on the other side of the couch. 

Billy sends Kate a wide eyed look. She simply shrugs, contempt with her friend having joined them willingly. 

Ten minutes in, she starts snoring softly. They all turn slowly to look at her. She's cuddled against the arm rest, deeply asleep. 

"Oh, my..." Loki murmurs. A small mischievous smile appears on his face as a marker appears on his hand and he starts approaching her slowly. 

"Loki," Teddy warns him. 

"What?! It's simply an innocent prank."

"I will turn you into a frog," Billy whispers grimly. 

"And she will kill you," Kate adds. 

"But-"

"She will."

"Fine!" He scowls, pulling his phone out with a pout. "At least let me take a picture."

They all share an unsure look, but no one stops him. He sends the pone a blink-and-you-miss-it find smile before putting it away. 

"Okay, but send it to me," Kate says. He laughs, but complies. 

* * *

The next morning, as it was to be expected, America is gone by the time Kate wakes up, the blanket that she'd put over her —not daring to disturb her sleep to make her move to the bedroom, because, honestly, it's like she can sleep wherever like it's a five stars hotel and Kate's far from suicidal—, is neatly folded on the couch. 

Any hope Kate might've had that their small fight managed to make America slow down's shot down quickly, though, when the girl keeps on overworking herself and showing up at home late at night. She does, however, make an exception in movie nights. Kate catches her never really watching the movie, just falling asleep nearly immediately, but everyone appreciates the silent effort. Loki takes a picture every single time he can.

The longest time she's seen her awake in weeks is when they finally call for a new team meeting. The situation's getting out of control. The holes keep appearing in shorter intervals, bigger, more and for longer.

"I say we take the fight to them," Tommy says, slamming his glass of juice dramatically on the table. "They keep coming to  _our_ home world to attack us, let's see how they like it if we come to theirs."

"I agree," Teddy sats, sounding almost surprised by his own words. "We can't just keep waiting for an invasion to happen."

"That's a terrible idea," David frowns at them both. "We can barely handle them here when there's just a few crossing, and you wanna go and take on their whole fleet?"

"Well, what else can we do?" Billy shrugs. "Maybe we could go trying to  _talk_ to them..."

"They do not seem to be the type to talk much," Loki points out, almost amused.

"Well, we could at least try diplomacy first," Billy insists. "I mean, we go there and-"

"No," America cuts him off dryly.

"What? We could try to-"

"I said no," America repeats.

"Then we go and fight!" Tommy replies, enthusiastically. "You just have to open a portal there and-"

"No. We're not gonna go fight them there."

"What?" Kate blinks at her friends. "Did you just say 'no' to a fight?"

America gave her a blank look, not willing to discuss it.

"Look, America, they've got a valid point. We have to start  _doing_ something instead of just fending for our lives," David says calmly. "You seem to be the one who knows this things better so... there's gotta be something we can do. If we go there-"

"We. Are. Not. Going. There," America mutters, fists clenching over the table. They all send her surprised looks that she pretends to ignore as she clearly forces her whole body to relax. "It can't be done."

"What do you mean it can't be done?" Kate says, eyes wide. "Are you saying there's actually a dimension out there you can't get into? What happened to the whole 'ticket to the Multiverse' thing?" She presses.

America clenches her jaw. Everyone keeps looking at her, even Loki seems to be pressing for answers even though she's almost sure he knows many of them by now. She sighs, though not defeatedly, giving them a grim look.

" _Wholes in the Multiverse._ That's what you said," her eyes lock shortly in Loki. "You were right. Whatever's in the other side's not part of the Multiverse. Means I can't open a portal there. My power doesn't go  _that_ far."

If she could, maybe she would've gone home a long time ago, maybe she wouldn't. That's not the point right now. 

"Wait, wait, wait-" Kate shakes her hands in the air, gesturing for America's attention. "Are you saying there's a world  _outside_ the Multiverse."

America's eyes dart quickly at Billy before answering.

"Yes."

There's a cold silence that spreads around them, thick and uncomfortable for everyone except, maybe, Loki.

Knowing there's infinite realities and world's out there is hard enough to handle for most people, but thinking of something entirely outside any realm of reality they could imagine... would take a while for the idea to settle on them, or stop being terrifying.

"Well, at least that explains why they're so strange," Tommy's the one who finally snaps out of it, trying to cheer everyone up. "I guess it's good. I mean, whatever they are, if they're not even from the Multiverse I guess they don't count as people, right?"

Everyone, except America, seems a little relieved at the sense that they haven't been  _killing_ this things, technically.

"So... now what?" Kate finally asks.

"Nothing. They're still trying to invade us. We just can't get there through a regular portal," America cut her off. She knows most of her team well enough to assume they'll be chewing over this for a long time. Which means, she has to keep away before they start asking questions. ""We'll think of something. I've gotta get back to work," she declares standing up. 

Everyone's still too in shock to try to stop her. 

* * *

The wholes kept coming, worse every time just like the attacks of the creatures from the other world. David said the first attacks were probably just to measure their forces, and now they were really going to start the actual invasion. It didn't really make anyone feel better. The fights gets thicker and harder, lasting for hours until Kate can't remember how long they've been fighting for. A glance at the sky lets her know the fight's far from over. The aliens in their flying vehicles keep arriving by the seconds. She hears the sounds of skulls crashing behind her and doesn't need to glance back to know who it is.

"America, what are you doing down here?" Kate shouts as she shoots another arrow upward. "They need you up there!"

"Normalizers..." she hears the other girl mutter under her breath as she looks up.

"Yeah, I know. They've been there for a while and they're helping, but it's not enough! They need you!"

To her surprise, the other girl doesn't dart to action as usual. 

"What, Chavez, don't tell me you're  _scared!"_ Loki laughs beside them.   


America turns to shoot him a murderous glare but doesn't bother answering him, turning to look at Kate instead.

"I'm on it," she says before flying up and starting to kick ass and take names.

"See?" Loki grins, sending another spell to the aliens with his hands. "All Miss Chavez needs is proper encouragement!"

"Since when does America needs to be encouraged to go into a fight?!" Kate asks, arching an eyebrow as she released another arrow. 

Loki laughs but didn't answer. What the hell is going on between those two? She is tired of wondering what they weren't telling her. She has her suspicions, of course, but they are too insane to even risk saying them out loud. She knows Billy suspects the same thing, though.

It's a long, long, time before the holes start closing. Kate can't help a wave of relief at the, rather scary, sound the portals make as they start shrinking in the sky. Relief doesn't last long, though.

"Oh, hel, hel, hel," she hears Loki muttering under his breath. She follows his line of sight and spots America and Billy flying over one of the wholes. They are fighting quite a few of the aliens, but America seems to have got the hang of it. She fails to see the problem, there's even a few Normalizers approaching them, they'd take care of the remaining creatures.

Just as predicted, a moment later, at least five Normalizers shoot on their direction, taking out the aliens. Their bodies drop from the sky and through the closing hole, disappearing back into the world where they came from. 

Except, something's wrong. 

It takes half a second for Kate to realize there's only one person left standing on the air. Kate's eyes barely have time to go from Billy to America before she spots her friend falling through the hole and disappearing from the world.

She can't hear Billy but she's sure she sees him shout the second before he dashes down trying to go after her. The hole closes right in front of him before he has a chance.

Barely five seconds have passed before New York's sky is clear again. No signs of the holes, or the aliens, or America.

They just stare, frozen. Kate glances to the side to find Loki still staring up, paler than usual and looking just as in shock as the rest of them.

"America..." she hears him mutter under his breath. 

What just happened?


	8. To The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When one Young Avenger is missing, there is really no other option for the team except saving their friend. Except... what if it's not possible?

"What the hell was that?!" Kate finally reacts, marching furiously towards Loki.  _He knew._ He have had to know. He made the comment about America being scared. He knew the normalizers meant bad news when he saw them approaching Billy and America  _and he did nothing._

"I don't know!" The god replies, raising his hands in the air. He looks terrified, as if Kate had America's talent to make him bleed. He also looks like he's going to be sick and Kate half hopes it's guilt what he's feeling.

"What happened?" Tommy arrives nearly at the same time than Billy, who is just as pale as Loki and, unfortunately, Kate does know his is guilt.

"Billy..." she murmurs.

"She- She was right there- and then-" he chokes out. Teddy's quickly wrapping an arm around him, discretely eyeing him to make sure he's alright. "I don't understand," Billy goes on.

"It makes no sense," David agrees. So far, he seems to be the one doing the better job keeping his head cool. "America said the Normalizers wouldn't attack us. That they'd only attack them."

"That is not entirely true," Noh-Varr intervenes. "She said they would only attack being who did not belong to the Multiverse."

"So..." Tommy arches an eyebrow. "You're saying she is...?"

"Not from here," David nods in agreement.

"You knew!" Kate's voice breaks the silence that had settled between them all, like a sharp cry of battle. The anger of the loss of yet another best friend, a sister, ripping through her chest with the sharpness of the arrow she has ready in her bow within half a second. She points her weapons at Loki. He might be Asgardian, but this has to at least hurt. 

"Kate!" Teddy jumps.

"He knew!" She repeats fiercely. Her voice almost resembles America's tone. "He knew the moment the Normalizers approached them! He knew what would happen! And he made her go up there!"

It takes half a second between Kate's words and Noh-Varr pointing both his guns up towards Loki too. The rest of the team ready to fight too immediately.

"No!" Loki finally snaps out of silence, raising his hands in the air. "For the Norns! That's not- I did not know! I mean, I had my suspicions but- but it was  _just_ a theory! I would never-"

The sound of Teddy's knuckles cracking interrupts him. "Now, why don't I believe you?" He asks coldly.

" _No,"_ panic crosses Loki's face. "I swear! Norns! I would never!  _We are just loosing time instead of doing something!"_

"There's nothing we can do-" Billy says heavily, though his palms keep shinning, ready to attack Loki.

"You are wrong! There is!"

"Give me one good reason to trust you," Kate demands, looking at him behind the bow. It might not be especially threatening to him, but her letting go of that arrow would be the signal for the rest of the team to attack. 

Loki opens his mouth, then closes it. Confusion appears on his face as he clearly goes through a series of options. None seem to be good enough. 

"Why would I enlist her help if I wanted her dead?" He finally says. He staggers a little at the last word. "She's not dead. Not yet. We can save her. We have to."

"She said it wasn't possible," Billy shakes his head. "I can't open a portal there. Not even- Not even America could!"

"It is not impossible," Loki insists. He takes a tentative step forward but the sound of Kate's rope tensing makes him stop again. His eyes turn pleadingly towards Billy. "When we were looking for your brother," Loki says quickly, "I told you an interdimensional jump would require a lot of power from you and a lot of planning for me. Well, this is the same but... harder. Much harder. I am stronger now, and you are the Demiurge. We can do it together."

The team still doesn't lower their weapons.

"But she said-" David starts.

"Norns!" Loki snaps impatiently. "She was trying to protect Kaplan, of course! Now, it's time to return the favor... unless, of course, you have a better solution." Smugness is back on his tone. He knows they don't.

* * *

 It's two hours later until they have everything together. Two hours too long. Every minutes that passes, everyone gets more nervous. Loki has already gone through the runes at least ten times.

"I think we are ready," he finally says. The rest of the Young Avengers stand up from where they've been sitting and stand inside the star he's drawn on the floor. It's weird to see it drawn like that, not shining with America's characteristic glow. "Ready, Master Kaplan?"

Billy nods. Teddy has his hand firmly clasped on his shoulder for support. His eyes shine bright for a second. It's not enough yet. He pushes. He thinks it's like running. He hates running, but Teddy always says if you keep going, there's a point where you 'break the wall' and find much more energy than you knew you had. He focuses on that until- One last push makes his eyes look like the universe. 

" _Loki,"_ when he speaks, his voice is an echo, like it's all around them and not coming from the scrawny teenage boy standing between them. The team looks uncomfortable and worried, except for Loki who immediately gets into action. His hands glow green and he speaks words no one could understand except, maybe, Billy.

And then... they disappear.

The trip is not nearly as pleasant as traveling through America's portals is. It's like they stop existing for much longer, like they are in between nothings. Then they drop on the heavy floor.

Around them, there's a metal floor and walls. They all need a moment to recover their breath. It feels odd. The gravity, the energy around them, the air they breath, it al is alien. It's clear they are in a completely different reality, like it's built on something completely different. 

"Bee, you alright?" Teddy asks as soon as he's able to. 

"Yeah..." The boy is standing straight, staring at his hand as he flexes his fingers. His voice is still a little distant. "I'm not  _tired..._ I just feel... disconnected. Is this how America felt...?"

"No time for that," Loki huffs, looking around before walking ahead. "We need to hurry."

They follow him through the rooms, glancing at the doors down the corridor. He wastes no time on them, only running his palm in front of them as he passes by.

"Where are we?" Kate questions, looking around. There's no windows, barely a few lights too many feet away from each other to really illuminate much.

"We aimed to wherever she was," Billy says, pressing his pace to keep on with Loki's long legs.

"This resembles a prison," Noh-Varr points out calmly. After that, no one feels like talking much.

It still takes some horribly long minutes before Loki stops dead on his tracks.

"Here," he murmurs before blasting the door open and rushing in. 

"Wait, it could be a... trap." Too late, they hurry behind him and freeze.

America is on the other side of the room. Her wrists and ankles are chained tightly against the wall, forcing her to stand up when clearly she would've collapsed otherwise. Her head is hanging forward but she is half conscious, mumbling unintelligible words. It all just looks _off._ America is never hurt, never defeated, never like this. It takes them a long moment to react. Finally, it's Loki who hurries forward. He immediately presses two fingers to her neck to feel her pulse.

His touch makes her jump awake. She looks up. There is strands of hair sticking to her face with sweat. Her eyes are wild, like a scared animal, for a second. Then they focus on him.

"Ch-Chico?" She breaths out. There's tangible relief in her voice, like she could cry if she had the strength to. There's a moment of disbelief and wonder when it almost looks like she will smile. Then realization settles on her. "What are you doing here?!"

"Getting you out," he sounds honestly offended as he looks at the shackles. 

As he does, the device they are held to starts beeping loudly. America's eyes dart open again.

"Stand back!" She demands. There's enough urgency in her voice to make Loki jump away right before the shock. The electricity going through her body makes her scream. Her muscles tense. The sparkles lit up the room and Loki can't help thinking they resemble Thor's lighting. Then, she screams again and he forgets about it. He still can't move. 

It's Noh-Varr who finally reacts. Four shots, perfectly aimed. The bounds fall open and America is left standing against the wall. There's still sparkles going through her body and it's clear she's still in pain but trying to control it.

"Kaplan!" Loki urges. Billy jumps out of his shock and rushes by his side. There's no need for words. In sync, they repeat the spell from a few weeks ago, dissipating the energy overloading her body. As soon as the charge is gone, she falls like a stringless puppet. Loki barely manages to catch her before she hits the floor. "We need to get her out of here," he says. "Erm, before we get company," he adds.

Teddy rushes towards them and grabs America in his arms. They would've never guessed, but she looks almost small compared to him. Vulnerable. Again, it's just wrong. 

"Let's go," Kate presses, after taking a closer look to her friend. "Now, where?" She asks once they're back on the hall.

"Out of here," Loki insists. "We need a calm place to prepare the next spell."

"Which way?" David says nervously.

"Lemme check," Tommy speeds off on one direction. They hold her breath for two beats before he comes rushing back. "Not that way! Not that way!" Close behind him, laser shots follow. No one argues back before running on the opposite direction.

"How'd- How'd you get here?" America mumbles, slowly coming to. " _Teddy_ ," she insists when she gets no answer. "How?!" She asks like it's life or death.

"Billy and Loki," he replies softly as he flies down the hallway. "Don't worry about it it's ok-  _oh."_ He stops right before crashing into Tommy, who is standing between the team and a group of about ten guards. Behind them, the others approach quickly.

"What now?!" Kate asks, preparing her bow.

"We fight," Noh-Varr says grimly, reading his guns. 

"There's no way we can take them all in here," David says. "Loki, can you take us out of here?"

"I- I do not know this world! It's too risky! I could teleport us into a wall, or-"

"Yeah, let's not do that," Kate says, making a face. 

"Put me down," America demands. 

"No way."

"Altman, put me down right now!" She yells, though her volume is not quite as loud as she intended. "You need both arms to fight!"

The urgency in her tone finally makes him concede. He puts her down very carefully. As soon as her feet touch the floor, she's holding to Billy's shoulder for support. She clenches him tightly —which is remarkably weak considering America's usual strength.

"Billy," she says, keeping her eyes on her captors. "I need you to lend me power."

"What?! How?!"

"Just trust me. My body will absorb it."

"How is that-"

"No time to explain!"

He doubts for a second, but decides if they are going to fight, America deserves as much energy as she can gather. Especially if it is to fight back the people who tortured her like that. He focuses his magic and finds in America a surprisingly apt recipient. 

"Keep going," she instructs firmly before raising her voice. "Everyone, stand close!"

They know what that means. Almost by instinct, they all do, facing their enemies in a circle with America at the middle.

"Wait-" 

She ignores Kate as her eyes light up. A star appears underneath them. It has eight peaks instead of its usual five. Billy feels more magic being sucked out of him. The  _amount_ of energy it requires is unbelievable. He can't believe America's still on her feet. When she kicks down, though, the glass only cracks, doesn't break.

The creatures prepare their guns, pointing at them.

" _STOP!"_ One of them demands with their static voices.

America kicks again, making the surface of reality crack more.

" _Chavez!_ " Loki looks at her, almost panicky. "You can't-"

"Like hell I don't," she mutters before kicking down with a grunt. 

The star shatters.

They fall. 

America lets out a sight of relief. 

The last thing she sees is blue skies as they fall through to 616. Then, the world goes dark.

One last thought crosses her mind.

_It's possible._


	9. The Parallels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's three things America Chavez hates: down time, being asked questions and being forced to provide answers. Well, there's probably more things she hates, but this three are some of the worst, especially when they all happen at the same time.

America wakes up in a bed. It used to be an odd thing to happen, but ever since last year in Noh's space ship, she's grown used to the commodity of a mattress and a warm blanket. It is unfortunate, since experience says it's a commodity that won't last. Sooner or later, she had to keep moving. Not now, though. Now, her whole body hurts. The pain slowly makes her memories return to what happened right before she lost consciousness. Her eyes dart open and she sits up, her heartbeat suddenly racing as she looks around the room. She's home- _No. Kate's home_. Her room in Kate's home. 

"Hey, easy there," Kate's voice makes slowly brings her back to reality. She blinks until her eyes focus on her friend. Kate looks worried, and a little surprised. It takes a while for America to realize it is her own scared expression which has shocked Kate. She quickly schools her features. "It's alright," her friend goes on softly, sitting by her side on the bed. "You're safe now."

America makes a face. She doesn't like the way Kate's talking to her. Like she's a scared child that will break crying any second.

"Where's everyone else?" She asks, looking around, looking to deviate the subject from herself.

"Home," Kate shrugs. "You were out for three days. They all wanted to stay around until you woke up but... well, I was running out of food," she tries a smile that gets no answer from America.

"Three days..." she murmurs frowning.

"Yeah... you must be starving!" Kate suddenly jumps to her feet. "David suggested we put you on an IV to give you nutrients back but, well, the needles kept breaking. Wait. I'll bring something up!"

With that, Kate's gone. America has the sinking feeling she mostly wanted to run away from whatever America was making her feel. She can't blame her. Tiredly, America drops back down on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. She wishes she could just fall asleep a bit longer, to avoid having the following conversation, but after three days out, her body is no longer asking for rest.

Kate's return is announced by the smell of food. Some fancy creamy soup and a club sandwich with a much more complicated name. America is immediately munching on it. She's _starving,_ she just hadn't even noticed.

"Am..." Kate's tone is cautious and it makes America stop her frantic eating. She gives her a long look quietly waiting for the question she can feel coming. "How long were you there for?"

America shrugs dismissively, but Kate's apparently not willing to give in just yet.

"We arrived there like two hours after you disappeared-"

"There you go-"

"...but your phone's a week off," Kate's brow furrows. "How long were you really in there? What happened, America?"

Regretfully, America puts down the sandwich and gives Kate a serious look.

"Exactly what you think. When there's holes in reality like this, time is affected too. It doesn't run the same way everywhere."

"And you know that because..."

" _Princess,_ " America frowns, "I'm not getting into that right now. I'm eating. Then, I've gotta call in for work."

"Oh, no way. I've already fixed that. You have the flu and are on a week's leave."

America makes a face, thoughtful. The way Kate's speaking lets her know a lot of things. Mostly, that she knows, and if she does, so does the rest of the team. She's willing to blame Loki for it, though it was most likely due to the whole thing with the Normalizers. Kate keeps staring, which makes her pause her eating again. 

"I'm not gonna explain this twice. You can call a team meeting, then I'll answer whatever you guys  _need_ to know. That's it."

Kate's face light up immediately.

"You were already planning this," America realizes, her voice even as she gives her friend an unamused look.

"The boys are on their way."

"You are a danger to this world, Bishop," she deadpanned, half frowning.

"I know!" Kate smiled, jumping to her feet. She walked to the door but stopped herself and glanced back, her smile fading to a softer look. "I'm glad you're okay, Am."

America was already eating the soup again, but she slowly put the spoon back down. 

"Thank you," she said quietly. Then, she was finally left alone.

* * *

 The team arrives around half an hour later.

"You sure she's alright?" Billy asks as soon as Kate opens the door. She sighs softly, knowing an almost killed teammate is still a sore subject.

"Yeah, she was just eating something when I left-"

" _¡¿QUE?!"_ They hear America's shout from upstairs. _  
_

Immediately, they are all rushing up, pushing each other to get there as quickly as possible.

"What's wrong? America?!"

They find her sitting on the bed, looking down at herself as if she couldn't recognize her own body. 

"Who- Who put me in this?" She demands to know, signaling at the pajamas she's wearing. She sounds like it's life of death, even though there's nothing weird about it. It's a very comfy looking and patriotic themed set. Her glare tells another story, though. Before Kate can speak, Billy blurts out the answer.

"Loki."

" _What?!"_ America jumps to her feet.

There's that murderous glare on her face as she takes a step forward, fists clenched tightly at her sides- then she falters. They all reach out for her. Loki, whose arms are the longest, is the one to catch her first, long fingers clasping her arm to keep her up as his other hand rushes to her side more gently to help her keep balance.

"Norns, Chavez! I used magic, of course," he grumbles. His tone is offended but his eyes mix worry with a little playfulness. "You should not be out of bed yet..."

"Shut up," America replies bluntly, pushing him away and making a point of standing up straight again. "I just got light headed. Been laying down for too long already. Let's get down to business."

They all look at each other. On one hand, she should  _probably_ rest. On the other, this is America they're talking about and there's no way they'll get her to listen. Plus, they need answers already.

"We can use the living room," Kate offers softly, stepping out of the way so America can get out the door. "We'll order some more food while we talk," and it was a way for America to be sitting comfortably, so that was probably as good as it was going to get.

Grumbling in agreement, everyone moves to the living room and grabs a sit. America picks the individual one. Kate wishes she hadn't. It makes her look tense, as if she was sitting there to be judged by them. Her eyes are as defying as ever but by now Kate knows her well enough to recognize some doubt behind her facade. 

"So..." Teddy starts awkwardly. "You are not from this world."

"Neither are you," is the girl's immediate reply, defensive and sharp.

" _America,_ " David sighs frustratedly. "You are not from the Multiverse, are you? You said the Normalizers would only attack things- er,  _beings_ who weren't from here."

America clenches her jaw tightly, holds David's gaze for a long time, as if she's weighting how much to say.

"You're right," she finally breaths out. She takes a deep breath, slow, controlled. "I'm not."

"So where  _are_ you from?" Tommy asks, leaning forward.

"Not from here."

" _America,"_ it's Billy's turn to sound frustrated. 

America turns to look at him and holds his gaze for a long time, almost long enough to get awkward. When she speaks, she does so cautiously.

"I come from a reality outside the Multiverse, called the Utopian Parallel. A place... very different to this one. When I was eight, there were wholes, just like this ones. My mothers closed them, but before they did, I ran away through one of them and ended up here."

"Why did you run away?" Kate asks, brow furrowing. 

America doesn't answer that. 

"So you never went back?" Loki's tone is curious. 

"I thought it was impossible, until now." Her voice is charged with emotion at the idea. She hasn't had a chance to swallowed it yet but, "now I  _have_ to go back."

"America!" Billy jumps. "You're leaving- You... you can't just-"

"I need to find out how my mothers closed the wholes," she cuts him off firmly. And she  _wants_ to go back. She always thought she didn't, but now that there's a real possibility... she can't get it out of her mind. "And I'm gonna need your help to open that portal, Billy."

"O- Okay. When?"

"Tomorrow."

Now the whole team jumps to their feet, screaming and yelling about her being in no condition to do something like that. It makes her headache grow to a point where she's sure she's gonna punch someone. She starts massaging her temples waiting for the noise to die down.

"America, you can't," it's Loki the last person she hears.

"Like hell I don't. Look, Kate's already made sure I have a week's leave off work and I'm gonna use it while I can. The wholes are our main concern right now, not the army using them. We're talking about the end of the Multiverse here, no time for everyone to get all touchy-feely. I am going to do this. With or without your help." _  
_

* * *

She hears them whisper from afar. She doesn't have to know what they are saying to  know they are discussing her. 

"They are worried about you," Tommy comments casually. He's the only one still sitting by her side. They are both eating their third serving of noodles while the rest of the team pretends to be busy doing other stuff. 

"Well, they shouldn't be."

"Are you stupid? Of course they should be! Their friend almost died!" He doesn't rise his voice, but there's controlled anger in it that makes her look at him, cautiously considering him. She doesn't know Tommy that well, so she doesn't get where all that emotion's coming from. "You have to be more careful. Can't just go and get yourself killed."

"How moving, speedboy, but-"

" _No._ Listen to me. When Cassie died... you weren't around. You didn't see what it did to them. Billy wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep, wouldn't even look at us. If he has to go through that again... it might kill him." Tommy turns his green eyes at her, exactly like Kaplan's and yet so different. "You care about him, right? I'm done asking you the reason for it, just... if you really do, don't put him through that again."

America doesn't know what to say for a moment. A long moment. Then she deflects.

"I didn't exactly do it on purpose, Tonto. And this... It's something I have to do. No other way," she turns and goves him an honest look. "I'm not dumb, and I'm not suicidal."  _Not when there's a job to get done._

"Good. They were all so worried, I thought someone was gonna have a stroke," the boy's tone is lighter again. "Especially that Loki guy."

"Loki?" America arches an eyebrow.

"Yeah- Dude tried to keep it cool, but he was going insane. Pretty sure Teddy and Noh had to drag him out of the house yesterday. Where you two... a thing?"

" _What?!"_

"Hey, I get it. It happens between teammates all the time. Hell, Kate and I-"

" _No._ Nothing. Not a thing. Definitively not."

It is so... it makes no sense. She can't even wrap her head around the possibility. No, no way.

Tommy just shrugs, focuses on eating once more. 

America can't help herself from glancing up at Loki, who's leaning against a wall, pretending to do something very important on his phone. He glances up, but as soon as his eyes lock with hers he deviates his sight back down quickly. 

_No. No way._

* * *

She doesn't do it the day after. She waits two more days until Billy and Loki can't keep putting up the excuse that they have to "prepare" the spell. She calls bullshit. She's gonna do this herself, all she needs is some energy to break through reality. No big deal.

There's too many people around, the thinks heavily. Billy, which means Teddy of course, Loki, to supervise the spell, and Kate. Four people already feels like too many. Noh seemed to understand and made an excuse about having to work on his ship. Tommy and David and or patrol.

"Okay, ready," she says. She's been ready for about an hour, this is just her way to press on Billy to go ahead.

"Okay, okay," he says rubbing his palms together. He shares a look with the others before taking a step forward towards America. He puts a hand on her shoulder. " _IwanttogiveherpowerIwanttogiveherpowerIwanttogiveherpower..."_

She feels it grow inside her, like a shiver at first, then stronger until her whole body it's vibrating. It resembles being charged with the alien's energy, but in a good way. Billy's magic is in synch with hers, after all. They are one.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she promises. "Stand back," she orders the others before spreading her arms and opening the star under her feet. The moment comes and her heart is beating so hard it feels like it's going to break out of her chest. She keep she face calm, though, closing her eyes and taking a couple deep breaths before kicking. This time, reality breaks at the first kick.

And she falls.

She'd forgotten how interreality traveling felt like, but the memory comes rushing back.

_We won't be able to bring you back!_ One of the Queen's said. Nobody'd said anything about her not being able to come back.

Her feet touch the ground at the bay, the long hallway facing the infinite stars from where she'd flied away all those years ago. America opens her eyes and smiles brightly. She's _home._

"Woah-" A voice behind her.

She turns around and stares at the others wide eyed. Kate, Teddy, Loki... and Billy.

_Oh. Oh, no._

"What the hell are you doing here?!" 

 


	10. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to save the Multiverse, America Chavez has come back to the one place she swore she would never —and could never— go back to... and she has extra baggage.

"Whoa," Billy breaths out, "this place is ama-"

" _Shut up!"_ America snaps, turning around in her heels.

All four stowaways jump because —aside from Loki— they'd never seen America this furious at them in their lives. There's fire in her eyes that she never shows, not even in battle, and all signs of composure are momentarily gone. For an instant, it looks like she's going to break into a rant. Then, something else crosses her eyes and she seems to recover control. She turns her glare exclusively at Loki, who begins raising his hands. Before the excuses can roll out of his tongue, she barks out an order: 

"Female form. Now."

"What? Why-"

" _Now!"_

As Loki obliges, she turns her head to Teddy. "You too. Female. Now."

Before the order can be given to him, Billy starts murmuring a spell to change his sex.

"I said shut up," America cuts him off. "Not you. You," she looks at Loki and points at Billy. "Change him."

"But, I can-"

"No. You can't. You can not use your magic here, you understand?"

"But-"

"Do you understand?" America's fists are clenched at her sides and she glares at Billy, as Loki's magic makes his hair grow longer and his body change into a woman's.

"Y- Yes," Billy stutters, "but why?"

America can hear people approaching behind them. She can see Kate with her eyes on them and her fingers ghosting over an arrow. She says the first thing on the top of her head, a half truth. 

"Magic here's different. Boundless. _Your_ brand of magic could destroy this whole reality in an instant," she speaks quickly under her breath. At least, that last part is the truth. "Not even a single spell. Promise."

"O- Okay. I promise."

Not a whole minute as gone by since their arrival but it has felt like a life time. 

"Hello?!" A female voice calls behind America's back, who tenses. The others' eyes jump from the speak to America. She gives them all one final warning look. 

"You let  _me_ do the talking," she hisses quietly enough for only them to listen.

One deep breath, then she turns around and faces the women of the Utopian Parallel.

They're cladded in clothes similar to her mother's uniforms, except for the long capes that float inches above the floor. Three women, two rather old, with white and blue hair, and a younger girl with purple curls. All beautiful in different ways. All of them oddly familiar strangers.

"Uh, hello," America's body language changes in a second, from the warrior who was seemingly going to rip her friends' heads off, to a runaway child coming back home. "I am-"

"Princess America?" The woman with the short blue hair steps forward. "Oh, sweet child! We thought you were lost for good!"

Before she can react, America is trapped inside a motherly hug. She just stands there, stiffly, not knowing how to respond.

"Princess?" She hears one of her friends whisper behind her back. With their newly female voices, she can't tell who it was, except it clearly wasn't Kate.

"How-?" America finally breaths out confused. 

"Oh, darling, you look just like your mothers did when they were your age," the woman is still beaming as she steps back, "you have grown to become quite a Queen."

"Queen?"

This time, her friend's voice doesn't go unnoticed. For the first time, the woman lays eyes on them. "And who is this?"

"Uh, these are my friends," America mumbles, glancing at them. "Kate, Luci... Tina and Barbie."

They all made faces to her invented names but she decides they can suck it for coming in the first place, the idiots.

"Oh, how wonderful to meet America's friends!" The woman smiles warmly at them, but her face falls back into confusion when she looks at America. "We thought we'd lost you forever, Princess. How did you manage to come back? For the Demi-"

"I can explain in private," America interrupts quickly. Then, she remembers her manners and bows her head, "please."

There's curiosity shining behind the woman's eyes, but she nods in agreement. "Very well. Let's go inside. I will personally see that you are all given your own bedrooms at the main castle and we can all talk after dinner."

* * *

 

During dinner, the questions she is already expecting are asked.

"So how did you girls meet?" Is the first one, since the Queens clearly want to begin with a nice one.

"Oh, you know," Kate is quick to reply with a vagueness she's learnt from elegant parties in New York, "saving the day, as all heroes do. Some crazy stuff was happening and we all came together to stop it. Then, we decided to stick together." Her smile is wide and charming and it works wonders on the Queens. America pretends to be too busy eating to hide her relief.

"So, tell us, America" another one says curiously. "What have you been up to since your- since you left?"

America pauses. She knows she can't avoid the question no matter how much she wishes she did. She tries to keep her expression even as she shrugs. "Saving worlds, you know... I got a hang on it pretty early on after I arrived to the Multiverse."

Again, it is not exactly a lie. It's only a half truth: she did get a hang of superheroing rather quickly, when she was just eight years old, but it was more a matter of survival than of heroism. Not that her friends or the Queens —or anyone, really— need to know.

There is a heavy silence after she speaks and she worries someone might infer the hidden truth behind her words. Luckily, Loki picks up the conversation quickly. He seems to have quickly understood the kind of subjects America is avoiding and has spent most of the night being surprisingly helpful at deviating the talk. She never thought she'd be this grateful for the trickster's silver tongue. However, this time, she wishes he'd stayed quiet.

"America never mentioned she was a princess," 'Luci' says with a perfectly innocent look on her face. "I must admit I was quite surprised."

"Why wouldn't you tell them, America?" The girl with the purple curls —now she remembers her, Reni, she was her friend as a child— asks. 

"You know the titles are not the same in the Multiverse," America makes a face. "There, it means Royalty."

"As it does here..."

" _Everyone's_ a princess or a queen here," America rolls her eyes. "It's not the same. Either way, it's not what I am." There's a heaviness to that last statement that makes the rest of the people on the table pause.  _Ugh, great. Now what?_

"So, how did you manage to come back?" Is the question that breaks the silence.

_Okay, back to business._

"There is holes, in the Multiverse this time," America says firmly, looking at the Queens of the Council. "Reality's fabric's weakened enough to open portals between non-realities."

"Well, I am glad you came back," Reni says with a shy smile, trying to 'see the good side' rather than voicing out loud what they are all thinking: the risk of disappearing the Multiverse is at, just like their world had been so long ago.

"I need access to the Royal Archives," America says firmly. "I need to find a way to close the holes."

Now, the silence feels definitive. The Queens finally catch her meaning: she's not planning on staying.

* * *

 

Later, on the bedroom given to her —not her old one, mind you— America can't shake off the image of the look the Queens gave her when they realized she isn't staying. What else were they expecting? They don't get it. They just never have. They don't understand who she is: she's a superhero. She has to save everyone in the Multiverse. This is bigger than herself and her wish to stay safely and comfortably at home. 

Looking at herself on the mirror, wearing a white, red and blue suit that mirrors the ones her mothers used, she wonders if they would understand of be let down by her to. Mother's fake versions of them had certainly seemed disappointed of her, to the point that thinking about it made her stomach ache. She knows they weren't real. It doesn't really help as much as it should. 

There is suddenly a knocking on the door that pulls America out of her musings. She walks to it and is surprised to find Reni, looking at her awkwardly. 

"I am here to give you access the tone Royal Archives," she declares. The warmth of her voice is gone now.

At least, when it comes to her, America can tell perfectly how she feels: cheated, lied to, let down. She feels her stomach sink to her feet and nods. 

They make their way to the room in silence. 

When she sees the amount of bookshelves, America needs to catch her breath. They are so damn many.... She will never get through them. She barely had time to learn how to read as a child before leaving the Parallel. Then, she had learnt stuff here and there, mostly enough to get by. Just that. 

"Uh..."

"It should be over here," her childhood friend sighs, taking pity of her.

America follows her to a remote area of the library and grabs one of the books she gives her. It takes here a while of passing the pages but she eventually finds it. Her mothers' deaths. What actually happened and she never got the chance to find out. She feels her eyes cloud with tears and furiously cleans them with her sleeves when they make reading impossible. The droplets fall on the golden paper and America curses herself. 

"It's alright," Reni says, putting a hand over her shoulder softly. "Do you need a minute?"

Hating her own weakness, America nods. 

Once she is alone, it still takes her a while to calm down and go through the details without breaking. When she does, though, it's like a bucket of cold water being dropped on her head. 

"Oh..." She hears herself murmur out loud. 

That's it. That is what she has to do to save everyone. What killed her mothers.

For the first time, if hits her: it is also what is going to kill _her_ , soon. 


	11. Things You Should Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As America's fate becomes clear to her, other things start looking differently. Except, maybe now, it's too late.

The book she  found in the Royal Archive is still sitting on her bed, glaring at America as she tries to get her head around what she found out. It had been excruciating, reading step by step about the process that  turned her mothers' energy into supernovas, tearing them inside out, draining of them even the last drop of life and energy in order to save their world. Now, she realizes, when the time comes, she will have to do the same thing. It almost makes her mad how  _obvious_ it was all along. If her mothers, who were always so much more powerful than her, hadn't survived it, why would she?

Ignoring how terrified she feels, deep in the pit of her stomach, America also feels an odd calm spreading through the rest of her, the kind that comes with knowing the inevitability of her fate. She will die, like they had, but at least won't leave a broken hearted orphan behind in the process, and she will save her friends. It's not all that bad.

A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. 

Glancing up, still a bit in a haze, America blinks at the door as the knocking repeats, the sound impatient. Finally, she stands up. She hides the book away in her backpack, for now just in case. She'll have to give it back tomorrow, before they leave. Then, she walks over to the door, takes a deep sigh to steel her features and opens it. 

"Chico?" She arches an eyebrow, looking at the girl standing before her. For a second, she'd almost forgotten about his changed form. 

"I think you mean  _Chica_ ," he smiles cheekily. 

America rolls her eyes. 

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"I want you to show me around."

"No."

"But I'm bored."

"How is that my problem?"

"Well..." Loki drawls with a big grin. "I could just go and explore on my own but I can't guaranty what I'll find, or who I will run into... and maybe I will get extra curious and ask some questions..."

America's face turns into a furious glare, clenching her fists by her sides. This is blackmailing. This is exactly why she hadn't wanted him to know more about her. This is-

 _Nothing,_ she suddenly realizes.  _It won't mater anymore soon enough._

"Fine," her shoulders sag as she grabs the cape they had issued her. Not that she needs it, or likes it, but the Queen's spandex outfits make her feel a bit too exposed. "One quick look around."

Loki blinks, apparently surprised by how quickly she gave in, but doesn't complain as she closes the door behind her. 

* * *

 

To say Loki is having the time of his, well _her,_  life with the field trip is an understatement. The Utopian Parallel is way beyond anything his imagination had ever come up with and, even in his wildest theories, he would have never truly guessed America belonged here. Even now, it is somewhat hard to believe. As much as there is a resemblance between her and the rest of the women here —their strong aura, their fearless way of strolling, their calm and bright eyes—, there is also a lot more earthly about America, like she is more real than them, more  _here._

At least, it had seemed that way before. Now, she look a far away. As they walk down the city, she barely speaks other than to reply to Loki's wide range of questions, but even her answers seem flat and distracted. He has grown used to her present silence, the kind that always lets him know she is focused on the matter at hand and that she has her eye on him in case he tries anything. This new distance is... different. It makes him uneasy.

"Is something wrong, Chavez? Something we should be worrying about?" He finally asks as they  nearly reach the edge of the city. 

"Besides the obvious holes in the Multiverse?"

"Yes."

"No. Nothing to worry about," America replies, not meeting his eyes. Her sight set on the horizon. 

Loki frowns lightly but doesn't insist for now. He's learnt the hard way that would only gain him a fist to the mouth. Without a word, America leads him to the edge of the city, where the ground literally ends and in front of theme there is only a wide void filled with colorful stars, like a sea of magic and beauty. America sits on the edge calmly, dangling her legs above the void like it's no big deal.  _Maybe if you can fly it isn't,_ he thinks to himself nervously, but he sits down by her side anyway. This is... nice.

He's surprised when it's her who breaks the silence.

"There," she says, pointing at a specific point in the distance. "There is where I ran away, through one of the holes."

Loki stares at the empty space with awe, wondering how she can remember that specific detail after so long. How long had this place been on her mind?

"I was six years old, had just learned about my mothers deaths and I was... I was so angry, I felt so powerless. It seemed like the only choice that would truly be  _mine._ So I flew away. I had no idea  _where_ I was going or  _what_ I was getting into. All I knew was it was a completely different place, somewhere I could make a difference at. That was all I ever wanted."

Loki stares at America, gapping slightly at the sheer amount of  _words_ she just spoke without an apparent reason. America isn't the taking type, or the sharing type, or the sensible type... and even if she was, Loki knows he'd be the last person she'd be telling this things to. And yet, she goes on: 

"I used to dream about this place a lot. I thought I remembered it perfectly... but now that we are here, it all looks so different."

"Why are you telling me this?" Loki asks, without thinking, and immediately wants to punch himself on the face for even asking. She doesn't even look angry, though. Her eyes are almost sad as she finally meets his. For a second, she seems confused about it too.

"I don't know... I guess, I just wanted someone to know..."

She lays down on her back, staring at the star filled sky instead. It's clear by her face that her thoughts have turned grimmer. It makes his chest feel heavy. It's not normal of her to act like this. Something is wrong, but he can't do anything to fix it unless he knows what it is. He could try to guess, but it feels like an intrusion too much at the moment, when she's in this weird state.

"This place  _is_ rather amazing," he tries for small talk instead, but still feels flat, like the words in his mouth have turned to lead. 

"It is," America agrees. "Sometimes, I wish I had never left."

"You do?" He frowns at the thought.

"From time to time, when things get rough. I just wonder..." she shrugs. "No point on wishing, though," she sighs. "Things happen for a reason. I guess I just ended where I was meant to."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you came to the Multiverse," Loki offers.

"You are?" It's America's turn to look surprise and that is, at least, something Loki is more used to. 

"Yes," he says, with all honesty, because lying would seem impossible after she's been so painfully honest. "Without you, I would have probably committed the worst mistake of my life, giving in to my own wishes rather than fighting for who I want to be," as he speaks, Loki lays down by her side, looking at the sky too.

"No, you wouldn't have," America murmurs after a short moment. "You had doubts before I intervened. I think... you would've made the right choice."

"You really believe so?"

"Yeah... maybe."

Loki smiles softly at the thought. Not that they will ever know what the truth is, though, but it's a nice idea to entertain. That, however, leaves America out of the equation again. He turns his head to look at her. 

"You didn't just save me from becoming my former self that day, though... You also saved my life," he says. "I don't think I ever thank you for that."

"No need for that," America shrugs, side glancing at him. "It's what I do."

"Yeah," he feels slightly let down by her answer, "I guess... thank you, anyway."

"You saved my life too, the other day," America says, looking at him with that piercing look that makes him shiver. "Thank you."

"Oh, you know, hero stuff is what I do," Loki grins. 

The hint of a smile appears on America's face. "Guess that makes us even."

"Yeah."

The silence that follows is easy and light, as they both stare back at the stars above them. Loki still isn't sure where all this honesty came for, or why it feels so good, but he is oddly contempt with it. 

"You are nice when you look like a girl," America states after a while.

"I don't  _look_ like a girl. I'm a girl too, America. I'm both," Loki explains, glancing at her, curious about her reaction. America looks back at him, with her eyebrows arched as if the idea slowly dawned on her. She mouths an  _'oh'_ as she seems to understand what Loki's saying. "I guess that explains why you like me better like this," he teases. "And I'm nice _all_ the time... You too," he smirks, "when you're not punching me in the face."

America laughs. 

Loki can't remember hearing her laugh like that before and he  _would_ remember that sound. It sounds warm and free and bright. It's like fire, both beautiful and dangerous like America's passion in the battlefield and it makes him feel... something new. 

He wants to hear it again, but sadly the sound dies down as America calms down. He sees the same sadness emerge on her face. 

"Too bad it's a little too late for that," she says, her tone definitive and heavy. 

Loki looks at her, at the sadness in her face, and feels like a ghost fist is clenching his gut.  _Norns._

"Maybe it isn't?" He asks, hopefully, reaching for something he doesn't really get yet. He doesn't know what he expects America to reply. Too late for what? To be friends? Something different? Hel if he knows but he knows he doesn't want that door closed.

His hand, like it has life on its own, moves across he space between them until his fingertips can nearly feel her skin.

"Chico," America's tone is painful and he thinks he know the answer before she has even said it. "I need to tell you-"

And just then, as he feels hope remerge and his little finger hook around hers, the world goes dark. 

America sits up quickly, all contact between them lost as she looks back at the city. The clouds and thunder roar, very close to where they had been staying. It makes Loki think of Thor... only Thor's storm don't make the world  _twist_ like a smugged painting around them. 

"What the Hel?"

"Billy," he hears America gasp under her breath, right before she jumps to her feet and takes off, leaving him behind. 

 _Oh, for the Norns, Kaplan!_ He thinks frustratedly as he runs after her.  _What did you break this time?!_

 

* * *

 

When she arrives to the room, it's chaos all around them. She feels like the oxygen it's being sucked out of her- instead it's not the air, it's the  _magic._ It's gone wild and unstable and a place that is entirely made out of it. She nearly brings the door down before Teddy opens. 

"What the hell is going on?!" She demands immediately running inside.

"He- He was having a nightmare. It- it happens! Sometimes his- his magic goes a little out of control but-"

Billy was in the bed, twisting and turning, muttering things under his breath as the world around him moved like it was made of jello. America felt the dread grow in her stomach like an oncoming storm. She should have known this. She should have known how dangerous it was. She should have got them out of here the moment they arrived. 

"Wake him up!" She snaps at Teddy. "I'll get the others, tell him to be ready to get us out of here!"

Without waiting for a reply, she runs out of the room and goes to Kate's bedroom. Her friend opens, confused and sleepy, but America has no time to be polite. She orders she grabs her things and goes to the boys' room immediately. She rushes into her bedroom to grab her backpack and her clothes quickly and then runs back to the boy's room, slamming clumsily against the walls, disoriented by the wild magic around her. Loki catches up with her and helps her get to the room faster.

"We need to get out of here!" She insists, though he seems to have gotten the idea too. When they arrive, Billy is awake but the magic hasn't calmed down yet. He's panicking and this is bad. This is out of America's worse nightmare. "Quick!" She snaps at him, grabbing his hand tightly. As she feels him pour his energy into her, the storm starts to wind down. All she can hope is they didn't do any permanent damage. She'd never forgive herself. 

As she turns around, just before they leave the reality, she sees the Queens standing on the bedroom's entrance, looking worried and scared and  _oh god-_

"America," one of them takes a step forward. 

She feels tears cloud her eyes, ruining her last look at the world she's so much dreamed of. 

"I'm so sorry," she chokes out before kicking down. 

"Oh, Demiu-"

Reality breaks.

They fall. 

It's all gone.


	12. Milkshakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The choice is made, but only known to one of them. The team reacts as America distances herself from them after their most recent mission... which makes her working situation considerably more uncomfortable.

America will never understand exactly how the time between realities work. When they return to the Multiverse, they were barely gone for a few seconds. Seconds. It's all it took for everything to change. Now, she's got only the end of the mission in mind. 

Once they arrive, she takes a moment to make sure everyone arrived it one piece. Kate looks confused, Billy is holding on to Teddy, his face still scared and wet with tears, Loki is breathing heavily, body pumping with adrenaline after their hasty escape. America doesn't say a word. She takes off, ignoring them when they call her name. Better get used to it. 

She manages to avoid them for a whole week. She picks up her things from Kate's place when she knows she'll be out on patrol and finally takes Rebecca up on her offer to stay with her. Her coworker, though slightly surprised by the change of attitude, is nice enough to not ask too many questions. She doesn't show up on patrol, or answer any of their texts. It all seems to be alright, and then comes the week from hell. 

Loki shows up on Sunday, oddly dressed in civies rather than his full costume. At least, that brings less attention to him. 

"What?" America asks sharply when she comes over to the bar. 

"A milkshake."

She arches an eyebrow. She was expecting something a little different. Never mind, if this is his way of torturing her into talking it's not going to work. She nods and is back a few seconds later with the cold drink. 

"Are you alright?" He asks before trying the first sip.

"Yes," she doesn't loose a beat before replying, but her tone's not dismissive. His question sounded too serious for that. The kind you would ask right after a battle. She expects him to go on, but he simply focuses on his drink and she takes it as her cue to leave. When she comes back out of the kitchen, he's gone. At least he payed for the drink. He  _tipped._

* * *

 

On Monday, it's Billy and Teddy who show up and America almost misses Loki's calmer, albeit weird, approach. It takes all of her self control not to make a scene and blow up her cover.

"America! You have to come back!"

"Please... We are so so so sorry!" Billy exclaims. It dawns on America they think she's angry at them. They think that's why she's pulling away. They have no idea. Maybe that's better. Yes, she can play along. It's a good excuse, it will make everything hurt a lot less for them when the time comes. "I didn't mean to-"

"Didn't mean to what?" She cuts him off sharply. "Didn't mean to intrude? To follow me exactly where I told you not to go?" She snaps coldly. "Because that's  _exactly_ what you did."

"We didn't think-"

"Yes. You didn't. You never do, Kaplan. You just don't listen."

"But we will!" Teddy frowns. "We promise. It won't happen again."

"And how am I supposed to trust you now," the harshness of her own words surprises her —maybe because there's more  _real_ anger behind them than she expected. 

She's pretty sure she hears Billy crying as they exit. She forces herself to keep her eyes on the plates she's picking up.  _It's for the better. For their own good._ _  
_

* * *

 

When Kate shows up on Tuesday, America is not even surprised. She looks so pretty in purple, even prettier than usual. Deep down, she suspects she did that on purpose. 

Kate's approach is far less apologetic than they boys'. 

"Look, yes, we came with you, but really what else were you expecting?" She points out, waving a piece of sushi between her chopsticks. "Have you ever  _met_ us?"

"Several times."

"Then you had to know."

"Yes, you're right. My bad for trusting you."

"America, you can't just close off to us because we screwed up once! Do you have any idea how many times Clint has-"

"And how many times have you complained about him?" America frowns. "How many times, Princess? Just to go and act just like him."

"That's not fair!"

"Yes. You're right. It's not," America deadpans, leaving. 

* * *

 

"You can't just quit!" Wednesday is Tommy's turn to make a scene and America swears she's going to blow up her cover only to punch him quiet. 

"You weren't even there, Shepherd."

"I know! And I also know my brother can be the biggest stubborn idiot! Trust me! I would know! I am too! But you can't just quit! They tried and see where that brought us..."

"I'm not quitting my... job. I'm just gonna do it on my own as usual."

"But the team-"

"Was alright before me and will continue to work without me," she shrugs. 

"You keep telling yourself that..."

* * *

 

"You too?" She can't help but whining when Noh Varr shows up on Thursday, wearing civies that make him seem like a groupie of at least seven different bands. She'd hope him, from all of them, would be the one that'd understand her need from space. 

"No," he shrugs, talking between bites to his hamburger. "I like the jukebox."

He stays forty minutes, orders three times and puts as many songs as he can, all old as balls but America's used to his music taste. It almost makes her miss the days back at his ship and-  _he's doing it on purpose, isn't he?_

He leaves without a word. In a crumbled napkin, America finds the scrambled title of a song:  _With a little help from my friends, The Beatles._

"Screw you," she mutters under her breath, throwing the piece of paper away. 

* * *

 

"David, no."

"But listen, if you-"

"No."

She hurries over to the kitchen, trying to loose David who didn't even bother taking a sit and has been following her around the diner for half an hour reciting facts until she couldn't ignore him any longer. 

"But you have to see! It makes sense."

" _No."_

"Look, it's not me. The team  _needs_ you, I made all the calculations."

"I don't care."

"I know what you're-"

"No," she turns around sharply, fire in her eyes. "You don't. You may know a great deal of shit, but you don't know me, so stop acting as if you do."

David freezes, blinks, opens his mouth to reply but America's already disappeared behind the  _employees only_ door. 

 

* * *

On Saturday, no one shows up. 

Thank god. 

During her break, America sits outside with Rebecca to smoke a cigarette. Her body's pretty much immune to Nicotine, to her it's just smoke, but growing up in the streets it kept her warm and helped her blend in with the other kids. Now, it's an excuse to spent a few minutes outside the diner, without costumers or teammates nagging at her. 

A police car passes by, sirens loud. Two others follow. America's body tenses automatically in response. Then, she takes another drag of cigarette. Rebecca is looking at her intensely. 

"What?" She asks, not looking at her. 

"Hum... do you want me to cover for you the rest of the day?"

"No."

"But, aren't you gonna... I mean, you usually..."

"Nope."

Rebecca still looks at her in that weird way. America's smart enough to know her friend's noticed a pattern in her disappearances, but she's never said anything about it. She'd rather keep it that way.

* * *

Loki shows up once again on Sunday. He seems as nonchalant as the first time, so America allows herself to relax as she brings over the milkshake before he's even ordered. He looks at it, slightly surprised, but makes no comment about it. America starts walking away as he takes the first noisy slurp. 

"You need to come back to the team," he says calmly, making her freeze on the spot. 

She doesn't turn around, just tenses and clenches her jaw. She's so tired of this already. Why won't they just let her be.

"They need you."

"No, they don't." They can't afford to need her when she won't be around soon. 

"Of course they do."

"They crossed a line," she mutters, turning around and glaring at him. "You too. I told you not to come with me."

"And you actually expected them to listen? America, that is practically what teammates/friends do: they push boundaries when they are worried about you."

"Worried?" The word comes out sharp, like it makes her angry. It's actually a hint of fear that they might know what she's up to.

"Of course they are. You were going back home, they were afraid they wouldn't see you again. You are not exactly the most reachable person, you know? Besides, you had just come back from a rather... ugly, experience," his eyes turn harder, resembling worry, "you shouldn't have been jumping around realities like that on your own."

"I have always done things on my own, Chico."

"Yes, but now it is different, America. You have friends now, who-"

"They are not my friends," the words are dry and harsh, but America doesn't hesitate before saying them. This has to stop. They have to stop. If they go on being this nice, this worried, this... this  _them,_ she is not going to be able to do what needs to be done. For their own sake, she had to distance herself from them, even it meant hurting them. "They are not my friends," she repeats, more firmly. "They are not my team. They were that already, before you and me. They are just a group of kids I had to tag along with to save the Multiverse. That's it."

She can see the immediate effect of her words, the way his shoulders sag and his face falls, the way his expression becomes a mask quickly. It hurts like a fist to her gut, especially because as she spoke words she'd once believed true, she realized they were the biggest lies she'd ever had to say. Those kids are her friends, her teammates, the first ones she's had in forever... and here she is, cutting them out of her life, for their own good. She really hates her life some times. 

"Is that what you want me to tell them?" When Loki finally speaks, he's glancing at her cautiously, his whole body language different. 

"Yes."

He nods, gravely, drops just enough bucks on the counter and walks away without meeting her eyes again. 

_Dammit._  


* * *

"You have to be kidding me..." 

They are here, all of them, sitting in a booth and not very casually glancing her way. She grabs the note pad, takes a deep breath and prepares herself to face them as if she was rushing into battle.

"Do you even know what a secret identity  _means?"_ She hisses furiously as she arrives to the table. "You can't keep coming here!"

"Alright, then come back to the team!" Tommy jumps, grinning. "And we won't ever ever come see you here again."

"No."

"America," Kate sighs. "We already said we were sorry... sort of. You can't just shut us down like that."

America just arches an eyebrow.  _Yes she can, yes she can, yes she can._

"Am," Teddy's face looks like he's in pain, "please. We know we screwed up, we should have respected your privacy, but we just... we miss you."

_Don't let them do this, Chavez._  


"What do you want to order?" She asks dryly. 

She fully expects Loki to ask for a milkshake. He doesn't. He hasn't even looked at her once. 

"We want you back in the team," David says matter-of-factly. "We  _need_ you."

_Don't. Please, don't need me._  


"You are our friend," Billy says, voice cracking.  _Dammit, Kaplan._ "We care about you. Please, you're one of us..."

America holds her breath. She glances at Loki.  _You didn't tell them._ Loki just looks up at her for half a second, but his eyes don't speak to her. He looks away right away, blankly, like he is there out of pure obligation. Probably, he is. 

There is something about the way they are all —except Loki— looking at her, that makes it hard to breath. She  _knows_ that look, that feeling, when someone you love shuts you out and you just don't  _understand._ She'd seen that exact same emotion years ago on the mirror, a little girl who couldn't understand why her moms were never home. 

"Fine," she can't believe she is doing this. "I'm part of the team. I will do meetings, I will go on patrol, and I will be there when you need me for emergencies."  


Her resolution sounds cold and cutting, but they take it as a victory and collectively smile. 

"Yes! Good!" Billy says enthusiastically. "You won't regret this! I promise!"

 _I doubt it._ Oh, how she was going to regret this. She huffs, running her fingers through her hair.   


"Alright, now you better order before my boss-"

Loki suddenly stands up from the table, which is inches away from where America is standing. The movement is so firm and cold, America takes half a step back to step out of the way. He still doesn't look at her once as he walks towards the door and out. The whole team's eyes follow, then go back to America. She feels her stomach drop. 

_Good. One less person to leave behind. One less that will hurt later._  


She clears her throat, but her voice is still slightly pained as she looks back at them.

"Can I take your order?"

  



	13. The cards on the table

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, sharing can be a way to lighten your burden. Sometimes, though, it can only make things more confusing. America knows what she's gotta do, but can she trust someone else with it?

She doesn't move back in with Kate. 

She knows she would only leave an empty bedroom behind. She can't do that to her. Somehow, with Rebecca it's easier, maybe because they haven't known each other for too long or because she's not as worried as her teammates. Less questions. She leaves a goodbye note under her pillow every morning though, with a half-assed lie about moving out of town for a while, thanking her for her help and her support despite her random mood swings the past few weeks. The only people in the Multiverse that would  _know,_ that would miss her at all, would be her friends —who had gotten unlucky enough to get attached to a girl that never could say in a single place. 

As she always has, America treasures silence. She's lucky enough to be paired up with Noh-Varr for patrol. The silent understanding between them means no small-talk, no questions, nothing aside from kicking ass, and maybe a few well-placed one-liners. What he does do, though, is show her new songs. She borrows an earphone, lets him put whatever his new musical obsession is. At least she'll get to know a few new things before it's all over. The thought is probably a lot darker than Noh had in mind, but she has been in a mournful mood lately.

Whenever she is not working or fighting, she goes out. She  _explores_ whatever corners of the Multiverse she has yet to see, beautiful and terrible places alike. She was always a tourist. She also goes back to her favorite places, the ones she can remember at least. She walks around Earth-212's Time Square —big like a country, full of neon and people and street performers. She goes to a jungle planet, untouched by any person other than herself, lets herself wonder one last time by its virginal beauty. She goes to crowded bars, drinks probably more than she should, picks up pretty girls. She doesn't go home with any of them. She goes out into deep space, where there's not a sound or a soul around, only stars. She lets herself think about her moms. She cries only once, because she's scared, _terrified,_ of what comes next.

All in all, when it comes to accepting the ultimate sacrifice, she thinks she's doing considerably fine. Knowing with time gives her a chance to make a peace the idea, but it also adds an unbearable level of dread to every day possibly being her last. She's woken up every day for over ten years knowing she'll have to fight, that she might not survive, but she had never been this sure that she wouldn't make it out alive. 

And then comes the nightmare, the call, the  _knowing_ this is it, and she can't go through with it. She runs. It pulls her in anyway.

She wakes up, crying, sweating, shaking. The clock says it's three in the morning. 

She sits down on the couch, trying to control her breathing, shoots a quick look towards her roommate's bedroom to make sure she hadn't woken her up. Trying to sleep again would be pointless, so instead she paces around, makes herself a cup of coffee, washes her face, mostly  _thinks_ about her dream. The fear she'd felt is stronger than anything she had before. She's not going to be able to do it. She'll fail. Unless- unless someone else makes sure she doesn't. 

* * *

4 am. She doubts only for a second before her knuckles hit the door. Three knocks. If there is no answer, she's leaving. 

He opens the door. 

For a long moment, America forgets what she is doing there, too distracted by... him. It's everything, the messy dark hair sticking up in every possible direction, the sleepy green eyes, the green boxers — _because, of course—_ and, well, yeah the lean muscles marked beneath the pale skin. She lived with Loki for a good while in Noh's ship, but he was only a kid then, and somehow she hadn't expected this. Something bubbles in the back of her mind, a curiosity she'd only felt before kissing Nullifier —and greatly regretted after. 

"America?" He finally breaks the silence. There's a crease between his dark eyebrows as he looks at her, worry, or maybe confusion. For the first time, she takes note of what a hot-mess she must look like right now. She also takes note of the way he says her name, like he'd  _slipped_ out of his usual formal speech patterns. 

"I need to talk to you," she explains quickly. 

Surprise crosses his features. It's a delightful expression on him, that is always playing tricks on everyone else, always a step ahead. She has to make a conscious effort not to smile at it. 

"Uh- Okay," he is still stiff as he steps aside and lets her in. 

She looks around the place curiously. She's not sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. It's  _homey,_ kinda elegant. Of course, she knows Loki has money, he's a prince and all that, but he never  _shows_ it. Weird.  

While she looks around, Loki looks at her. Somehow, he seems just as awkward, despite it being his home. 

"So, uh, want a cup of tea or something?" he offers. She can't tell if he's trying to be dismissive, ironic or actually polite. 

When she turns to look at him, she feels a blackhole in her stomach, knowing soon will be the last time she does. The backpack she's carrying suddenly feels heavier. 

"Actually, I could use something stronger. A drink?" She says, trying to act normal, as straight froward as usual. 

She expects him to make a sly comment or mock her or something, maybe act cold like he had back at the diner. Instead, he nods and hurries to the kitchen. She stays on her feet. He comes back with two beers, sits down on the couch and gestures for her to join him. She does, quietly, sending a quick disappointed look at the beer. She was hoping for something _stronger._ This won't even tickle her. 

"It is Asgardian," he says, as if he could read her thoughts. "Similar to beer, but stronger, yes?"

Arching an eyebrow, she takes a sip —a year ago she wouldn't have trusted anything he gave her not to be poisoned. A nice warmth spreads through her body, she sighs. It's fine, doesn't really makes her feel better. 

"So, Chavez, what did you intend to talk about?" He finally asks. She notes he's reverted back to her last name. 

America takes a deep breath. Takes another sip of Asgardian beer. _This shit's good,_ she's glad she had a chance to try it at least once. 

"I know how to stop it."

"What?"

"The _holes,_ I know how to fix it."

Loki's eyes open wide, she sees a smile spread across his face. She knows it won't last.

"How?" He urges when she doesn't explain immediately.

She pulls up her back pack on her knees, opens it and extremely carefully pulls out a book. It seems to glow on its own, it faintly reminds her of her own portals. She can feel magic vibrating out of it, like a heat radiator. She wonders if he can feel it.

"Is that from your world? Did you _steal_ it?" There's amusement in his voice, and the look he gives her could almost be described as pride. "I didn't know you had it in you, Chavez."

"It was an accident," she cuts him off, sounding not as annoyed as she should be. Careful, almost reverent, she opens it and passes the pages to the passage she knows by heart now. Her mothers deaths. She can't believe she's willingly showing this to anyone,  _to him,_ but the decision comes naturally. She passes the precious book to his lap, and looks approvingly at his own cautious handling of it. "It's all there."

She keeps her eyes on his face as he read, trying to figure out every expression he made. It is surprisingly simple, she's learnt how to read him by now. The first thing that emerges through his eyes is hope, and it's bright and powerful, much like when he comes up with a plan that he is sure will work. Then, probably when he reaches her mothers' mentions, a much more cautious expression takes over his face. He looks up at her quickly, but she keeps her face as blank as possible. He makes no comment, keeps reading, and then- ah, there it is. He gets it.

"No," he deadpans, closing the book.

"No?"

" _No._ "

"What do you mean no?" She frowns. "It'll work. It has before."

"This will _kill_ you."

"It'll save millions of lives. The whole Multiverse."

"No. No! Have you gone insane?!" He is yelling now. He puts the book next to her on the couch and stands up. "Why would you even think that it is an option?!"

"Because it's the only one!" She raises her voice as well, standing up. She hates having to look up at him —though with her height even being on her feet makes little difference. "I thought you would understand!"

"Understand?! America! How could you possibly think that I would agree to something like this?!"

She blinks, taken back. 

"Because you get it! You always do! With Mother, with Billy... you and I both knew what had to be done!"

"This is _different_!"

"Why?" Confusion boils inside America's veins, feels a lot like rage. "This was your plan all along!"

" _What?!"_ Now, Loki looks offended. 

"You came to me! Not to the Young Avengers, you came to me! You told me about the holes! You  _knew-"_

"That you knew something about it!"

" _No!_ You knew about my Mothers! That they'd stopped it before! You knew I'd find a way to do it again! There it is!" She points at the book.

" _I never intended for you to die!"_ Loki's voice is a roar, deep and furious and charged with feeling. 

She believes him. He didn't think about that, didn't think it would come to it. She suddenly feels bad for putting that blame on him. Her anger dies down. 

"Well, I'm sorry, because it's the only choice," she murmurs, letting anger die down as she grabs the book and puts it back into her bag.

"America," Loki says her name like he's pleading for something, grabbing her wrist tightly, "you _cannot_ do this."

"Yes, I can," she looks up to meet his eyes, challenging. 

Loki's look turns even harder, green eyes gleaming like in battle. 

"I will tell them. I will tell the team. They will not let you go through with this."

"You won't," she says with a sad smile. "You won't tell them, because you do get it, Chico. One life, that wasn't even meant to be here to begin with, in exchange for the whole Multiverse. You won't let it all die." 

"There has to be another way." 

"There isn't," she snaps her arm out of his hold, retreating before he manages to insert more doubts in her head. If anything, his insistence makes her even more firm in her decision. "Thanks for the drink," she deadpans, walking briskly towards the door. 

"Chavez! America!" He calls after her, but she doesn't stop on her way to the stairs.

Why? Why is he making this so hard?

* * *

Three more weeks. That's all she gets.

After the fight with Loki, she expects things to blow up. They don't. Aside from her weekly patrols with Noh-Varr, it's all radio silence from the team. Should be a good sign.

She gets three more weeks of a happy, almost normal, life. Patrol, work, eat, sleep, travel, repeat. She begins to think the day won't ever come, until it does.

_Alien attacks are happening all over the world,_ the news report says.  _Experts cannot explain where this rifts in the sky are coming from. Attempts to contact Reed Richards have been unsuccessful, as have been attempts to communicate with The Avengers. Several teams of young heroes are attempting to hold back the attacks. Authorities ask civilians to remain calm and stay away from the streets, it's-_

"Just another alien attack to New York. You see one, you've seen them all," Lou says, turning off the tv screen. 

America feels her nerves tense. 

The diner is far away from the attacks, and Lou might just be right because no one seems especially concerned about the attacks.  _They have no idea._

America knows she should leave,  _right now._ She keeps furiously washing the dishes in the shitty diner's small kitchen. She'll miss this place. She doesn't want to go. She knows she  _has to._ She also knows if she does, she might get fired. Stupid as it is, she's holding to a small sliver of hope that tomorrow, somehow, she'll be showing up for work again. 

_Idiot._

"Erica, what are you doing?" Rebecca bursts into the kitchen, carrying three trays in what may as well have been a circus act. 

"The dishes," America replies dryly.

"You have to go."

"What?"

" _Now!_ " Rebecca urges her, moving to the closet and bringing over her old star-spangled jean jacket. "They need you out there!"

"But- you- how-" America's brain shortcuts for a moment. 

"Oh, please, it's not like you wear a  _mask_ or like going for Erica as a name was especially brilliant. Unless that's your real name and America is the fake one," she smirks. 

Still trying to get her head around it, America grabs the jacket. 

"You  _have_ to go," Rebecca repeats. 

America quickly pulls her friend into a tight hug. The last one. 

"Thank you, for everything."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, I'm great. I'll cover for you with Lou. Now,  _go!"_

America runs out the back door, takes off so fast she breaks the sound barrier. She's right. The world needs her, her friends need her. 

One last time. 

 


	14. The Fix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time. The holes in the Multiverse threaten to destroy everything. The invaders are not helping. Only the Young Avengers know what is at stake. Only one solution ahead.

It's a messy battle. At least, from the air, it looks chaotic. Then, as she closes in, she sees them. Her team. They fight wonderfully, side by side, each knowing their place while having each other's back. Kate shoots from a tall building. Noh-Varr jumps from flying enemy to the other, graceful like an acrobat, shooting enemies left and right, making them fall like flies. On the ground, Tommy avoids the falling bodies as he takes out anyone who dares touch the ground, along with David who fights faster and harder than she thinks should be humanly possible. Most aliens are stopped before they can reach the city, though, slowed down by Billy's shields, teleported back to their world. Teddy punches his way through enemies, left and right with something almost resembling joy. Loki is everywhere, appearing here and there with flashes of green, fighting hand on hand and shooting magic long distance. 

It is beautiful, perfectly synced, like a symphony. She lets herself smile as she closes in on Kate.  _Keep it light, keep it happy, let that be their last memory of you._

"Hey, Princess!"

"About time you showed up, Chavez," Kate smirks up at her. She lets go the arrow in her hand, without even looking at her target. Perfect hit. 

"Sorry, was busy," she says, landing next to her. She sends a look up towards the portal. "I need to get up there."

"What?"

"To stop them as they are coming in," she says simply.

"Are you nuts?! You can't go up there! The Normalizers-"

"That's why I need you to have my back."

Kate looks at her for a long moment, then nods. "Okay, you got it."

There's a flash of green behind her, announcing Loki's arrival. America tenses. 

"It is perfectly alright, we are handling it gracefully," he says. Tone light, happy. She knows that lie, just like she knows the truth behind his words.  _We've got this. Don't do it._

She smiles at him. Then looks up to Noh-Varr.

"Hey, Noh! Watch my six?"

"I will cover your back, America Chavez."

She nods. Sends Loki and Kate one last look and takes off. She realizes Loki didn't tell them, didn't try to stop them. He  _knows_ this is necessary. Good. Maybe that way he won't hate her so much. 

She flies up to where Billy and Teddy are fighting. Side by side, like a dance. She hears their flirty banter as she closes in. 

"Hey boys!"

"America!" Billy arches his eyebrows. "You shouldn't be here."

"Hey, it's okay, Kate and Noh have me covered," she says. "Don't worry about me."

Billy still doesn't seem perfectly convinced, but his next opponent demands attention. He shots an offensive spell towards the alien, that is sent flying away. 

"You're doing great!" America smiles proudly, as she punches away another invader. 

"You think?"

"Yeah!" She says, as she slams two aliens against each other, hard enough to make their weird metal bodies dent in. 

Billy beams her a wide smile that could light up the whole Multiverse. That  _will_ light up the whole Multiverse one day. She got so lucky getting to meet the Demiurge. Most of all, though, she's lucky she got to be his friend. 

"Hey, keep an eye on Teddy, yeah? I'm gonna go higher."

Without waiting for an answer, she flies up. And up. And up. Someone calls her name with a warning, but she doesn't listen. She just dives right into the portal. 

* * *

_Okay, here we go._

This is new. It takes a lot of focus for her to stop mid jump, right in the space between the Multiverse and what lies beyond, out of space and time. Around her, there's only emptiness, white and bright. It hurts her eyes, but she doesn't want to close them. Not now. 

_You can do this,_ she tells herself, as she focuses on the energy around her.  _Just like closing a portal. A big, giant, portal. Happy thoughts._

The happy place her mind chooses is surprisingly common —though she should've probably seen it coming—. It's a movie night. She pictures herself warm and safe, curled up in the couch, a silly movie on the screen. She can hear Billy and Teddy laughing, curled up together on the big couch. She can see Kate and Tommy, pressed tightly together too, quietly whispering to each other. Noh-Varr, discussing cultural references with David. She can feel Loki, sitting on the floor, in front of her, his back against her couch, his breathing even and slow. 

She comes back to reality, armed with that happy thought that lets her get a hold of the edges of the portal. And now: pull. 

A scream leaves her throat as she feels the exhaustion hit her body. The portal fights against her, tries to stretch as she tries to close it. She keeps pulling, harder, non-stop, as she tries to hold on to the happiness in the back of her mind. It gets harder every second, especially as the pain starts to hit her body. Her tattoos shine bright, letting energy flow through her, more and more of herself gone in exchange for strength to close the portals. 

A scream breaks the silence. Not hers. Two voices. Her sight is blurry, but she  _sees_ them. Standing there, side by side, hands tightly clasped together. 

"Moms," the word leaves her lips without thinking, barely a whisper that sounds so much bigger in the emptiness of nothing. 

No time. No space. Everything going on at the same time. Ten years ago is happening right in front of her eyes. She keeps pulling, but her mind is slipping away, distracted by the two figures that painfully do their own chore. They hug each other, they cry, they keep pulling. They start shining bright, like stars, even brighter than all the white emptiness around them. She hears them call her name. She closes her eyes, filled with tears. She can't look. She can't bring herself to see what comes next. 

"America!" There's a new voice there, more familiar even.

"Billy?!" She opens her eyes, finds her friend flying in front of her, looking tired and ruffled. "No. No! What are you doing here?! You have to go!"

"I can't let you do this alone," Billy smiles, calmly. "Your moms weren't alone."

She keeps pulling, her body tense like it's made of cement, limbs stretched as if she could  _grab_ the edges of the portal and get them to close by sheer force. 

"No!" She screams, tears falling down her face. "You'll die. You can't-"

"Hey, I'm the Demiurge, remember?" Billy smiles, confident and sweet. His face doesn't scream 'Multiversal Messiah'. "I can give you the strength.  _Don't you trust me, Princess?"_

That last part. That voice. She knows it. Not because she's heard it before, but because it's embedded in the very core of her being, in her very DNA. Her creator. Her god. Her Demiurge. Her friend. 

She manages to nod. 

Billy is serious now as he rests his hands on her shoulder. Then the flow hits her. His magic is warm, bright, strong. She lets it fill her as she starts to pull once more. The portal moves, slowly but surely, like a machine that only needed to be well oiled. She needs to happy memories anymore. Billy's magic fills her with joy in a way beyond words, even as the exhaustion and pain hit her body in waves, as she can feel herself washed away by the energy spent and renewed by his powers, she can feel nothing but joy. 

She keeps pulling with every single fiber of her being, everything she has and is, everything she's learnt. All the pain, all the fights, all the wonders she's seen and done. It all comes down to this. America brings her arms up around Billy, holds him tightly. He hugs her back. His whole body vibrates in sync with the Multiverse, with magic itself, with her. She lets herself take it in, use it, pull the portal's edges closer. 

By the time she can see the edges closing in, they are both shaking. She's wrapped around him tightly, so tightly she's sure she would hurt him if he was in a human state. She looks at the edges closing in. Closing, with them in the middle of it.  _It's time._

She takes in a deep breath, holds on to as much energy as she can. Then whispers a "thank you" in Billy's ear. 

"What-" His voice is human as she pushes him back out of the portal. Away where he can live, where he can be who he's meant to be. This is _her_ burden to carry. "America, no!"

He's gone. He'll be too tired to come back. 

As soon as Billy's gone, the effort doubles. She can finally feel the real pain, the real exhaustion in her bones, the real despair that comes with it all. She keeps pulling. She screams. She pulls. Tears stream down her face. She pulls. Closer and closer, feeling the darkness close in on her, knowing outside others will live. The whole Multiverse. It's not a bad deal. A few seconds of pain for the sake of the home that took her in, of the infinite worlds she loves, of the friends who gave her a family. She can take a few seconds of pain for them. 

She feels a hand on her cheek. Two faces in front of them, blurred by tears. She tries to blink them away, desperately tries to see them. 

"You're doing so good, baby," her mom coos. 

"We are so proud of you," the other ads, gently. 

"Moms," she cries, a single word, filled with all her pain and fear. 

"It's okay, darling. It's gonna be okay."

The portal is almost closed. She can feel its edges pressing against her magic, suffocating her like two fingers snuffing out a candle. 

"Let go, America."

"I can't!" She cries out, still pulling. "They need me. I have to-"

"They still need you. And you still need them," her moms says softly. "This is not your time. Let go."

She looks at them through the tears, confused. 

"Let us do this. Let us help."

"You can't. You're gone."

"We are with you, America," they both say gently, kissing her cheeks. "Always. We love you."

"I love you too."

The portal closed. She let go. 

* * *

 

As a god, Loki isn't in the habit of praying. He trusts no gods other than himself, and he certainly doesn't trust the Norns enough to wish for good luck. Still, the moment he sees the portal closing he mentally  _begs_ to whatever is out there and willing to listen for a chance, a second more, another idea that could fix this. He gets none of that. Instead, he sees a lonely small figure falling from the skies like a meteorite. His heart stops.

He doesn't stop to think. He pulls all his magic to reach as far as possible towards her, to soften her fall, slow her and bring her to where he's standing.

"Is that her?" Billy asks, still laying on the floor, face carefully cradled in Teddy's arms. 

"Oh god," Kate gasps. "Is she-"

There is no need to finish that question. They all hold their breath as the body slowly approaches them. Loki catches her in his arms, kneels down to let her rest on the floor without really letting go of her. She's cold and pale, her body like a rag doll in his arms. It's gut wrenching seeing her like this, so small and gone.  _No, not gone. Please, don't be gone._

"America?" He asks softly, bringing a hand to her face, fingers trembling as he looks for her pulse. He can't find it. "Come on, Chavez. You're stronger than this. Please."

She suddenly gasps for air, tensing in his arms. He tightens his hold of her carefully as she barely opens her eyes, that find him immediately, staring behind a curtain of thick lashes. 

"You told them," she sighs quietly.

He laughs, relieved, brushing a strand of hair off her face. 

"Who was gonna keep an eye on me with you gone?" He jokes. 

She lets out a weak laugh. It suddenly occurs to him that she may need medical help, even though her body doesn't look hurt. Damn magic. 

"I saw my moms," she says softly, catching him by surprise. She looks like she wants to say something else, but her head falls on his shoulder as she passes out once more. He feels her breathing, slow and even against his heart, that finally remembers how to properly beat. 

He is suddenly aware of the others surrounding him, watching the scene with attentive eyes. He wants to ignore them, or disappear to somewhere more private where he can make sure she's alright, where they can talk. He does neither. 

"We need to get her to Strange."

 

 


	15. Behind the masks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And after you save the multiverse, what do you do? where do you go to? what's next?
> 
> The answer: Milkshakes, obviously.

Three days in Strange's care are not so much of a price to pay for saving the whole Multiverse. America knows that, technically. Surviving them, on the other hand, may prove even tougher than fixing reality itself. 

If there is a reason America doesn't like Big Damn Heroes —and there are  _many_ reasons— it's their self-importance. In her experience, they are so focused on their own image, their own issues, their fights and struggles, that they forget about the big picture, or about the little guys. All the more reason she'd never be an Avenger. Doctor Strange, in her opinion, is not so different to the rest. If anything, he  _might_ be a little more in sync with the Multiverse, but not so much that he'd manage to get his priorities straight. And so, he was  _endlessly offended_ that he was not required in their quest —her quest— to save the worlds. 

"I should have been informed," he insists for the millionth time when the subject comes up, in one of Billy's visits. 

"There's nothing you could've done," America replies once again, rolling her eyes. " _He_ may have had a chance, but you were out of your depth."

Billy squirms, clearly preferring to be left out of the argument.

"I am the  _Sorcerer Supreme,"_ he reminded them, grumpy, as he did every time she disrespected him. "I am  _tasked_ with protecting the Multiverse from this kind of threats precisely."

"But you didn't even realize it was happening," she teases with a smirk. 

Strange's face goes through a wide range of shades, from pale, to red, to purple. God, she can't  _wait_ for Billy's turn at being Sorcerer Supreme. For the first time, it occurs to her that she'll actually live long enough to see it with her own eyes. 

"I'm just messing with you," she says, trying to ease the tension mostly for Billy's sake. She finally gets out of bed. Her friend comes over, reaching out to help her stand, but one warning look manages to make him stop. She really doesn't need to feel more pathetic than she did all this days being taken care of. Nonetheless, she knows it was necessary, and so she sends Steven a more sincere look. "Thanks for the help... we  _will_ let you know if something like this comes up again. I mean  _if_ we need your help," she can't help but end in a cheeky tone.

"You do that," Strange says, his eyes darker and serious as he regards her. "If you'd strained yourself only a bit more, it would have been fatal. You know that, right?"

She's touched by his concern, but plays it off with a shrug. 

"Occupational hazard."

Billy digs his elbow on her ribs, barely hard enough to make it uncomfortable. He sends her a disapproving look.

"We won't let her do it again, Sir," he assures the sorcerer. 

Strange has a funny twinkle in his eye as he looks at Billy.  _He knows,_ America realizes. Strange looks at her next, and she sees the same amount of recognition in his eyes. As if he knew who she is, what she is.  _How much_ does  _he know?_ She wonders. She'll have to figure it out later. For now, she's just thrilled to be out of the sanctum and back into the world. 

Billy hugs her, discretely holding her up. She leans slightly against him as they walk out to the street. 

" _Sir?"_ she teases with a chuckle.

"Shuddup," he grumbles, blushing. 

* * *

 

Going back to work is a blessing, even if America has to sit through a big serious talk with her boss, who's not amused by her constant disappearing and then missing a bunch of days without showing up with no excuse. It's only a miracle that she's allowed to keep her job. She suspects it's mostly because it's hard to find a waitress that will put up with working for Lou. As she's putting on her apron she's approached by Rebecca, who smiles widely at her. 

"Glad to see you again," she greets. "I was kinda worried about that whole thing with the portals..."

"Yeah, got lucky that I didn't get fired," America replies, pretending her friend is talking about her running off from work, and not the fact that she almost dies closing holes in the sky. 

"Uh-huh, sure," the red head rolls her eyes, then gives her a gentle shove. "Seriously, I'm glad you're back."

"Won't be for long if I don't start earning my paycheck," she says, rushing out of the kitchen. 

She still isn't entirely sure how she feels about her new friend knowing her identity. Not that most people don't alreadyknow, but so far she has been comfortable hiding from the world in here. She can only run from who she is for so long, though. If she gets too used to the whole secret identity thing, she's going to end like Spider-Man or Daredevil, chained to hiding who she is from the world. She doesn't like that idea either.

Work helps keep her mind of the bigger problems. She focuses on orders and food and dishes, and tries not to dwell on the dark clouds gathering inside her head the past few days. Like how clean-up after the portals went down, and what they would do with the foreign technology the aliens had left behind. In her opinion, they should destroy it as soon as possible, it didn't belong to the Multiverse, let alone to this world, it didn't seem safe keeping it around. Of course, some underground organizations had different plans for it already. She'd have to talk to Nullifier about putting up a clean-up operation before they hit the black market.

She also tries not to think on the Avengers recent return to Earth. Apparently, they'd encountered some of the holes out there in deep space too, and had gotten too caught up in them to realize the bigger scale of the attack. Now that they were back, she doubt they would be all too happy to see how the Young Avengers had taken over their operation. Not that she cared much about it, but Billy and Teddy were especially anxious about their results being evaluated by the older guys.

Another thought she keeps away was her mothers. Seeing their faces again, up close, hearing their voices, feeling their touch, it is more than she knows how to handle at the moment. This was different than Mothers's replicas. This was her  _moms._ To have her memories refreshed and intensified, just to lose them all over again, feels like reopening an old wound that never really healed properly. Maybe this time, it will. She hopes so. She hopes some day her heart will stop aching, but right now all she can do is manage through the pain by focusing on day after day of normalcy.

Most of all, she tries not to think of a certain teammate who never showed up to visit her at the Sanctum. It's stupid, she tells herself, to care so much for his absence, but it was felt nonetheless. Last time she nearly dies, he'd apparently been by her bed side for a while, and showed up just after she woke up. All that, of course, was before they had a big argument over whether she was allowed to sacrifice herself or not for the sake of the Multiverse. She can still remember his anger, can only imagine how it turned worse when she went through with her plan despite his reluctance. He's angry at her that she was willing to die. Since she survived, she had childishly hoped that anger would subside. Apparently, it didn't. 

* * *

 

It's been almost three weeks now, and life is normal. Almost too normal. America is not sure what to do with normal. Even work becomes smothering. Turns out, when she's not using the place to distract herself from the end of the world, she can really notice what a pain in the ass her boss is. More than once she's fantasized with how it would feel like to punch his teeth out.

"Someone's asking for you," Rebecca says, walking into the kitchen and pulling America out of her violent dreams.

"Same guy as always?" She asks, cautiously, trying to keep herself grounded.

"Nah, some girl with dark hair," the other waitress shrugs, though by the look she shoots her America is not doing a great job at hiding her emotions. 

 _Kate,_ she figures. That's good news too. Her favorite Hawkeye has been showing up a lot lately at the diner (she suspects it's mostly to make sure America won't disappear on them like before). She could really use a friendly face right now. She still hasn't told anyone about the night terrors that keep her up at night. Not that she's planning to tell Kate, but at least her presence will cheer her up.

The girl waiting for her in the diner is not Kate, but she's not unfamiliar either. It only takes her a couple seconds to remember those features. Then, her heart skips a beat.

"Loki?" She asks, cautiously, approaching the girl. She's dressed in a green sundress, with wild raven curls framing a pale face, and green eyes that seem even brighter when framed by dark lashes. 

"Hello, Chavez," Loki replies, playing with the straw in her milkshake.

"This is unexpected," America says, standing in front of her. 

"I realize I should have come to you sooner, but I had important Asgardian business to attend to," Loki says with a shrug. "I am here now, though."

"And you're a girl," America can't help but point out, still curious about the subject. 

She could almost swear she saw Loki blush a little.

"Yes, well," the trickster says, eyes locked on the milkshake, "I figured this was the face less likely to get punched by you today. Heh."

"I can punch women too," America points out, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms. "And I don't like being manipulated."

"That was not my intention," Loki says, raising both hands in the air. America is inwardly pleased to recognized Loki's tone and expression, even in this new face. "I only meant... Well," she sighs heavily, "this was the face I wore when we last had an amicable conversation. I felt like it would be better suited for today."

America drops her head and lets out a heavy sigh. 

"I... I don't actually wanna punch you," she admits. "So drop the disguise."

To her surprise, Loki flinches and starts playing with a lose strand of her dark hair. 

"I told you, it is not a mask. This is who I am... just as much as the part of myself you are most used to. I am, well,  _both._ "

_Oh._

America drops her arms, blinking at the girl in front of her. Loki  _had_ mentioned this before, in the Parallel, but only now is she really beginning to understand what it means.

"I can change back, though, if it will make you more comfortable," Loki offers.

"No," America replies, a little too fast. "I mean... you don't have to. If- If this is who you are too, then that is great! I mean, it's okay by me," she rambles a little, suddenly nervous. "I'm trying to say this form is, uh-" she clears her throat. She doesn't _want_ to say how much she  _likes_ shit form of Loki. "What I'm saying is... well, it's you either way, right. That's all that matters. It's all good for me."

Loki smiles at her, with something resembling fondness.

"So," the god, well, goddess, finally says, "you don't want to punch me?"

America shakes her head.

"Wait. Did you think I was angry at you?" She asks, tilting her head.

"I did go against your orders and told the team what you were planning to do," Loki reasons, taking a small sip of her milkshake.

"You did," America nods.

"And I am still not sorry for it," the other adds. "I just was not entirely sure how you felt about it."

"You saved my life."

"Technically, Billy did. Though, yeah, I suppose I do get a bit of the credit. I like that," Loki smiles brightly and America is almost winded by the sight of it.

"Good," she whispers.

She missed him. Her. _Them._ She missed their conversations. She looks away quickly, fidgeting with the edges of her apron. Loki thought she was angry at him for saving her life. All this time, thinking he hated her, turns out he was  _afraid_ of her. She's not sure what's worse. Did he really think so little of her, to believe she'd hurt him after everything he'd done? She figures she's earned that. She hasn't been a really good teammate.

Even as she averts looking, America can feel Loki's eyes analyzing her. She shifts, uncomfortable. Across the diner, she catches Lou's disapproving glare. _Fuck_.

"I should get back to work," she mumbles quickly, before turning away.

"Did you think I was mad at you, Chavez?"

The question catches her off guard, mostly by how cautious it sounds. She tenses, and turns around again to face Loki. She can only those bright green eyes for a second before looking away, though.

"You _were_ mad at me. The other night," she points out.

"I was angry that you wanted to die," Loki says, and even in this form she recognizes the heaviness in her voice.

"I didn't _want_ to die," America hisses, walking back to where Loki is sitting. "I  _had_ to."

"But you _didn't,"_ Loki says, gesturing at her. "You're still here. All you had to do was let us help."

"Fine. _Fine._ You were right," she rolls her eyes, annoyed. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"It does have a nice ring to it," Loki grins devilishly as she takes another sip of her milkshake. Then her smile falls to that dark look again. "Honestly, though, what I wanted was for you to live."

America arches her eyebrows, surprised.

"I dislike the idea of a Multiverse without you," Loki brushes off. "I believed you knew that already."

"...I didn't," America whispers, then catches herself and clears her throat. "Couldn't take the idea of no one nagging at you all the time?" She jokes, trying to ease the air between them. 

"I have to admit I do like having your undivided attention," the goddess grins.

"Or maybe you just need me for your next mischievous plan," she chuckles.

"Perhaps," Loki nods, thoughtfully. "Or maybe-"

America's caught off guard when Loki throws herself forward to press a kiss to her lips. She's even _more_ surprised by the way her own body replies, hungrily. She brings a hand up to the trickster's long dark hair and holds her tightly as she presses against the diner's bar to close as much space between them as she can. 

"Enough! That's enough!" Lou actually gets out of his office to break them off. His face is red with indignation, covered in sweat and with eyes as wide as his horrible over cooked fried eggs. "I will not tolerate this in my diner. You," he points at Loki, "out. And _you... you're fired!"_ He roars, getting all up in America's face. 

She laughs.  

" _¡Por fin!"_ She grins, relieved. 

Loki is grinning at her widely, with bright eyes and a devilish smile. 

"Wait for you outside?" She asks cheekily. 

"Will be there in a second," America says, actually throwing in a wink to spite Lou, who's gone all the way to purple with anger. 

She rushes into the kitchen just in time for Rebecca to throw her star-spangled jacket at her. 

"Word of advice?" The red head says. "Stick to world-saving. You're a terrible waitress."

America replies with a quick hug. 

"See you at home?" her friend asks. 

"Don't wait up for me," she replies before rushing out through the door. 

Loki is waiting for her outside the diner. He's back to his male form, and when he sees her take notice he gives her an almost sheepish look. 

"Is this alright too?" He asks, quietly. 

"Yes," she says with a firm nod. "I mean... it's gonna be  _interesting,_ but it's still you. All of it. I like it."

Once again, she receives that bright smile. The kind of smile people like him or her rarely show to others. An open, sincere, smile with nothing to hide for once. She replies in form.

"Interesting is certainly a word for it," Loki muses. "I am definitively better than that Nullifier ass, but that is beside the point."

America snorts a laugh. "Should we go get some real food?"

"Yes, please," Loki says dramatically. "Those milkshakes where honestly terrible. I know a wonderful place, though, if you care to join me." He offers his arm out for her. How old-fashioned. She supposes she'll eventually grow used to that. She's got her whole life ahead of her for it.

Smiling, she hooks her arm with his. Without a warning, they disappear in a flash of green. 

 

 _Ugh_ , she's definitively never going to get used to  _that._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S DONE. THIS IS IT. FINALLY FINISHED. 
> 
> IF YOU ACTUALLY STUCK UP FOR THE WHOLE RIDE YOU'RE A REAL CHAMP. 
> 
> I ALMOST LOST MY MUSE FOR THIS LAST CHAPTER, NOW THAT MOST PLOT POINTS WERE CLOSED BUT I /HAD/ TO GIVE THEM THE ENDING THEY DESERVED. 
> 
> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LIKES AND COMMENTS THAT KEPT ME GOING THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING. 
> 
> I really really hope you enjoyed it. Still looking forward to hear out your final thoughts.
> 
> I'm totally open to writing more stuff in this verse if you guys have any ideas or suggestions. 
> 
> Also, you can always come talk to me to my tumblr princessamericachavez!
> 
> LOVE YOU ALL


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